Rivals
by UrbanCinderella
Summary: Sakura is the Champion of Alexandria. Gifted with the most magical power of her time, a title that previously belonged to a certain amber-eyed man, she leads her country into war against the Li Kingdom. When she meets her rival, what will happen?
1. The Plan

Disclaimer: Oops, sorry, I've already used all three of my wishes. CCS does not belong to me.  
  
-UrbanCinderella waves from the sports car, with Syaoran driving.-  
  
Author's Note(s):  
  
BEWARE: This is going to have a veeeeery long storyline. Oh yes, it will be a good. . . MANY chapters. This is a warning, however. If this is not the type of story you are looking for, there are many exits located here.  
  
-points sheepishly at the very tiny and scary looking exits, each guarded by a growling Keroberos- I usually discourage leaving my stories, however.  
  
Well this is my third story. I've had this idea playing around in my head for a while, so I'm finally just going to write it down. The funny thing, however, is I just so happen to have one more idea. Heh heh, I may write one more soon. Oh well, I have this thing where I sort of 'spread myself thin' as the saying goes. Some call it a problem.  
  
Anyway, hope you enjoy it. If your Syaoran/Sakura fix is not totally fulfilled, check out my other two stories-Falling Blossom (14 chapters) and Partners (3)  
  
****  
  
Sakura ducked and rolled, letting her breath fall lightly as her eyes took in the closeness of the arrow. Not allowing herself another glance, she ran, throwing herself forward and atop a large boulder. Her shoulder felt the heat of another close arrow.  
  
'He's getting closer. And faster.'  
  
Leaving her thoughts behind, she gracefully jumped from the boulder to another taller one. Using this second boulder for footing, she launched herself into the air, grasping wildly for the third and tallest boulder in the training court. Her knee made contact with the boulder, and she cursed the pain her carelessness had caused. She used pure strength to pull herself atop the final boulder and pure luck to keep Yue's arrows from hitting her.  
  
She jumped into the air, narrowly missing another of his arrows. She unhooked her bow from her arm, cocking an arrow in the same graceful motion. As her feet made contact with the rock once again, she fired. It was Yue's turn to dodge.  
  
He smiled lightly, acknowledging her success. Sakura was thrown off by his smile giving Yue enough time to loose another of his never-ending supply of arrows. She resisted the urge to call forth Shield and ducked as before. Rolling to the side, she narrowly missed another arrow. Curses were freely escaping her lips now. Yue smiled again, alerting Sakura he had heard her.  
  
'The rocks looked a lot safer from the ground' she thought wryly.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted again by something other than the onslaught of arrows. Her eyes widened in horror as she watched Yue's wings unfold. They began to pump the air and he slowly left the ground, heading straight for her.  
  
Fear broke through her thoughts. She had to do something fast. A smile began to form, as did a plan.  
  
Carefully, she controlled her body's reactions. Tactfully, she kept her eyes widened in fear, playing on the "deer-in-headlights" look. She made herself wait until he was in the right position. She drew an arrow in her bow discreetly, forcing herself to look into Yue's eyes, focusing on his rapidly approaching form. When he was almost directly in front of her, she acted.  
  
Using her strong legs, she launched herself into the air, twisting her body to do a flip. She sailed over his head. She watched as Yue's eyes grew larger and he hurried to turn, trying to attack her. Smiling, she released her arrow. It rang true, hitting the guardian. He was knocked to the ground.  
  
Sakura landed gracefully and raced over to her fallen guardian.  
  
"Are you okay, Yue?!" she demanded loudly, fearing for his health.  
  
Through narrowed eyes, she watched as he raised his head.  
  
A proud smile escaped his lips.  
  
****  
  
Einar angrily shoved his hands into the seer's bowl, disturbing the once- calm water. The image disappeared.  
  
"Is something wrong, my lord?" asked a woman. Yelan held her head high and proudly. Seated upon her throne, she was intimidating to anyone who was not family.  
  
He growled. "She is getting strong. We are raging war on the country who found her. It is not wise."  
  
Another figure emerged from the shadows. His bright amber eyes immediately caught all attention. His chocolate hair was in disarray, as it always was. With a strong build, he could be well known for his good looks. But he was known instead for his famed skilled and powerful magic. Only one person was more powerful than he, in fact. And she was the one they had been watching.  
  
"I can still beat her, Einar. Stop worrying." He walked nonchalantly to the table and seated himself.  
  
Einar growled. "You grow overconfident, my prince."  
  
He smirked. "It's not overconfidence that's speaking. It's truth."  
  
Einar snorted. "You haven't even met her yet."  
  
He looked up, eyes widening. Einar could see a plan forming. The prince's smirk darkened. "That should be fixed."  
  
****  
  
Sakura sat in her chair, trying to stifle a yawn. Her friend continued to speak, not noticing her fatigue.  
  
"I told him to do it again, but for some reason he just wouldn't sit back on the thorn." Her animated face fell, taking on a dreamy look. "And I so wanted to draw a picture."  
  
Sakura now had to stifle a laugh. It was just like the princess to want a picture of it.  
  
'She uses about half of the castle's supply of parchment with her drawings.'  
  
Her friend shook herself from her daze and examined Sakura closer. Her eyes caught the heavy bags under Sakura's eyes. She reprimanded herself for not noticing how bloodshot they looked.  
  
"You're tired," she said accusingly.  
  
Sakura began to deny it, but the yawn she had been holding back broke free, contradicting her words. Finally she admitted it. "Just a little, Tomoyo."  
  
Tomoyo jumped up and began to hustle her friend into bed. Ignoring her many protests, she was wrestling the covers on her when the door swung open.  
  
Three soldiers entered, amused looks taking over their faces once they saw Sakura.  
  
She turned beet-red. Using her friend's momentary surprise to her advantage, she pushed herself from the bed. Coughing she stood, waiting for the men to bow.  
  
They stifled their amusement and quickly moved forward to bow deeply first to Sakura, then to the Princess Tomoyo. Their commander spoke. "Good day, Princess Tomoyo. I hope we are not interrupting."  
  
At Tomoyo's flustered nod, he turned back to face Sakura. "My lady champion, his highness requires your presence."  
  
She sighed. "Are there new reports from the Li kingdom?"  
  
He bowed slightly once again. "All we know is we were to summon you, my lady champion."  
  
Grabbing her coat, she walked out of the door, promising Tomoyo she would return shortly.  
  
'They really should start a training course in personality. These soldiers are well trained, but their personality is lacking. How am I to get information out of them if they're so damn. . . obedient?'  
  
****  
  
Keroberos joined her on the way. He stalked stealthily beside her, causing one of the soldiers to drop back. Sakura caught his smile as he saw the soldier's flustered expression. She shook her head, cocking a small smile at him.  
  
'He looks so regal,' she thought.  
  
The soldiers pulled open the doors. Sakura stood patiently, allowing the court crier to pass and announce their arrival.  
  
She entered the throne room that had not long ago amazed her. Her very first day in the palace had been a day of splendor; the throne room was just the beginning of it. She looked around, eyes taking in the beautiful hues of red and gold which covered the room. There were tapestries big enough to cover five people hanging from the wall, and soft rugs littered the floor. Tables spread throughout added richness to the room, but the true centerpiece were the very thrones the room was named after. The thrones were magnificently carved to be nearly as tall as the room they were contained in. Only those of the royal family could sit in them.  
  
An excited yell brought her from her memories. "Pastries!"  
  
She watched with a smile as her friend made his way to the table. The servants backed up against the wall in fear. Her smile grew larger. She couldn't blame them. He was a lion after all.  
  
She heard the king's soft chuckle and turned, remembering herself. She continued her journey, bowing deeply once she had reached the throne. The king smiled, beckoning her to rise.  
  
Sakura heard everyone behind her leave. She almost winced as she heard the doors slam shut. Almost. Her training her taught her better than that. She could be stabbed and keep a straight face.  
  
The king stepped down from his throne. He opened his mouth to speak when the door was once again thrown open. Sakura felt his aura. She smiled, waiting for Yue to join her. She heard his snort and knew he had seen Keroberos.  
  
Soon the dark guardian was by her side and the king spoke.  
  
"We have had reports on the approaching army, Sakura." His face grew serious. Sakura knew it was not good.  
  
"How many are there?" She carefully kept her expression blank. The king could not help but be struck by the resemblance she now held to her moon guardian.  
  
"At least fifty separate troops in the first wave alone. There are more coming."  
  
"Fifty? Are you sure?"  
  
The king nodded. She sighed, thinking aloud.  
  
"Fifty troops, at about thirty per troop. That's would outnumber our men by a ratio of about two to one." She sighed.  
  
'If only we had more time to call for more,' she thought wistfully.  
  
For a second she almost wished she hadn't become the Champion. It didn't last long, however. A smile graced her lips as she remembered how she had come to this position.  
  
'I strode uncertainly into the great room. I had heard it called the  
throne room. I soon saw where it had received its name. Gulping, I see  
a great man beckoning me forward. I notice the crown he wears. I  
suppose he is the king.  
  
I gasp as I realize he is not the only one in the room. Out of the  
shadows step two strange creatures. The first appears to be a man,  
though his wings tell another tale. The second bears the shape of a  
lion, with pieces of armor scattered throughout his fur. He also has  
wings. I remember the stories I heard as a young child. These were the  
two guardians. They guarded the Champion.  
  
But the Champion had died in battle nearly a week before.  
  
I stood in front of him, not knowing what to say. Quickly, I drop into  
a deep bow. If only my parents had taught me the manners of a noble, I  
might be better prepared. That thought dies off quickly. My family was  
dead. Killed by enemy soldiers. I wiped a lone tear from my cheek,  
ignoring the worried look the lion guardian sent my way.  
  
The king spoke then. "We need a new Champion, Sakura."  
  
I did not understand what he needed me for, so I just stood there. He  
chuckled again, then clarified.  
  
"Would you like to be our Champion?"  
  
I looked up quickly, eyes widening in surprise. "But I'm just a girl!"  
  
He laughed. "You could be the first Lady Champion."  
  
I pinched myself discreetly. The king had to be kidding. I had so many  
points against me. Not only was I a girl, while all other Champions  
had been men, I was also only fifteen. Not to mention I had no magical  
abilities.  
  
Then the moon guardian did the two things I hardly believed would ever  
happen to me. He read my mind. Then he spoke to me.  
  
"You certainly have magic, girl. And neither your age nor your sex is  
of any matter."  
  
The king caught my eyes and held them. He spoke gently.  
  
"I am offering you this because, by right, it must be offered. The  
person in the kingdom with the strongest magic is automatically  
offered the position as the realm's Champion."  
  
I take this in with silence. He continued.  
  
"You know you will have to be tested. Both Yue and Keroberos will help  
you. Once you complete your test, if you succeed, you will become the  
Champion."  
  
Once again, I gave nothing but silence.  
  
He gently prodded me. "Will you accept the challenge?"  
  
I heard Yue snort at my silence. It was all I needed to decide my  
answer. "Yes."  
  
Keroberos laughed joyfully, choosing the moment to launch himself atop  
Yue. Completely unsuspecting, the moon guardian went down, angrily  
trying to rid himself of Keroberos's weight. It was enough to pry a  
light giggle from me.  
  
Suddenly I remembered a question I needed to ask. "What is my  
challenge, your highness?"  
  
The king returned his gaze once again to me. "Have you ever heard of  
the Clow Cards?"  
  
Yue was prying into her thoughts. She could feel him. She smiled, looking over at her friend. He looked back at her, eyes twinkling lightly.  
  
'You caught them, though. And everyone eventually accepted your sex.' He said in her mind [I don't remember if Yue can actually read her mind OR send a thought through, but he can now. ^-^]  
  
Her smile widened. From the corner of her eye, she caught the king's strange look. Coughing, she removed the smile from her lips. Her thoughts returned to the problem at hand. As the realm's Champion, she was in control of the army.  
  
"We need more time," she spoke finally. "If I had more time, I could get enough men to ensure victory."  
  
****  
  
The king watched her carefully, recognizing her look.  
  
He had come to know her over her five years in the kingdom. His pride in her grew larger, just as she had. He had watched her go from a simple peasant girl to a woman who no longer could be defeated.  
  
'At least no one within our country's limits,' he corrected himself. His thoughts wondered to the prince of the Li Kingdom. Before Sakura had surfaced, he had been the strongest.  
  
He remembered the date the prophecy had been spoken.  
  
'I watched as the seer fell forward, gasping for air. I knew now it  
was something important. I sent my servants forward to fetch her  
water, hoping she would tell me what I needed to know quickly. She  
did.  
  
Still reeling from such a large use of magic, she spoke. "There will  
be another. One stronger than the little wolf. One who will break the  
boundaries set for warriors. One who will surprise everyone.  
Especially the little wolf himself."  
  
Suddenly she seized up in a cloud of purple. Angrily, I flung out some  
of my own blue magic. I recognized Einar's magic. My magic was too  
late. I watched as the seer crumpled up.  
  
I cursed. The two figures emerged from the shadows.  
  
"We'll find him," said Yue.'  
  
The king nearly laughed, recalling Yue's words. Even the moon guardian had expected it to be a boy.  
  
He heard her speak. It brought him from his memories.  
  
"I need a map. Quickly."  
  
He walked behind the throne. Reaching upwards, he pulled a hidden bell. The entire palace was linked by a bell system. It was very useful when one needed a servant.  
  
A servant entered, rushing forward to Sakura, bowing deeply. She impatiently waved the servant up, making her request quickly.  
  
The servant nodded and returned moments later, parchment in hand. Sakura thanked him, unrolling the parchment hurriedly. With a wave of her hand, she called a table in front of her and flattened the parchment on top.  
  
'She has certainly learned how to control her powers well. She's gone from needing the wand to use any magic to being able to do most spells without it. Now she only needs her wand for summoning one of the cards and great magic.'  
  
"There," she yelled, pointing triumphantly. The king moved closer to her so he could look over her shoulder. He followed her finger, seeing the valley. It was a simple, narrow valley between the Li kingdom and their own. His eyes widened as he realized her plan.  
  
"Do you know if they've made it past this valley yet?" she asked.  
  
The king nearly shook with his excitement. "No, they haven't. And I'll bet if you ride hard, you can make it there just before they do."  
  
****  
  
She smiled, then turned to her sun guardian. "Can you go call my men?"  
  
He frowned and reluctantly turned to leave, grumbling the whole time. On his way out, however, he grabbed another pastry.  
  
'What a baby,' she thought.  
  
****  
  
Within fifteen minutes, her men were assembled in the throne room, staring expectantly at their Champion and beloved leader. Over the five years they had gotten to know her well. Their respect was almost endless, and they would willingly place their lives in danger for her.  
  
They were her personal men, the troop she alone commanded. They were the best fighters in the country. They called themselves the Champion Elite.  
  
Sakura smiled as she saw their sleepy looks.  
  
'It is getting late' she thought, frowning slightly.  
  
"The report from the Li kingdom has come through," she said simply. These words triggered a unified response among the men. One by one, they straightened, looking much more awake. She continued.  
  
"There are to be at least fifty separate troops." The men groaned. Sakura glared at them, causing them to hush and let her finish. "We do not have enough men to defeat them, nor enough time to assemble more troops from the east.  
  
"There is, however, a very narrow valley nearby. If we can get there before the Li's troops do, we have a chance to block it. This will cause them to change their plans. They will be forced to go around, which should give us enough time to prepare ourselves for their attack.  
  
"And you all know if we can hold against their attack, we will get to attack ourselves."  
  
Her smile turned slightly evil. "While the guards are out, nonetheless."  
  
The men joined in her smile, laughing at their leader. Finally one asked the question they had all wondered.  
  
"When do we leave?"  
  
She smiled kindly. "Tomorrow morning. Just after dawn. We'll ride hard; you'll need both your warhorse and your swiftest horse. I suggest you all go to sleep right now."  
  
One of the younger ones, Keland, a personal friend of Sakura's, piped up. "And will you be on time, my lady?" he asked, taunting her.  
  
The rest of the Elite erupted into laughter. They all knew their leader's tendency towards lateness. She blushed slightly, regaining herself quickly. She smiled.  
  
"I think I can manage it."  
  
The men filed out, heading to their beds. Sakura stood still, watching them leave, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to find herself looking straight into Yue's worried eyes.  
  
"You too should retire, my lady."  
  
****  
  
She could find no sleep that night, however. She tossed and turned until the early hours of the day. Tempted to call upon Sleep, she sat up. She walked over to her basin, splashing her face with some water. Suddenly she felt someone's presence behind her. She turned quickly.  
  
The first thing her eyes caught was deep amber. It was topped by carefree chocolate hair. The most abundant color was green. His tunic was a deep emerald green, nearly matching the emerald of her own eyes. His aura was colored the same deep emerald, and it pulsed throughout the room, nearly stifling her own light pink one. He had a muscular frame. The way he held himself enticed Sakura. She recognized the grace of a warrior.  
  
He spoke slowly. A smirk tinted his voice.  
  
"So we finally meet."  
  
****  
  
Author's Note 2: Wow. I actually edited the day after it was posted. Good thing, too. I found a couple of problems, lol. Like I put that Syaoran spoke only one word, hehe. Guess I can't count, b/c there are clearly four. Oh well, hope you enjoy the edited version a little better.  
  
Review! 


	2. Black Eye

Disclaimer: Eh, I am witless today. CCS does not belong to me.  
  
-All of UrbanCinderella's characters hang their head in shame-  
  
Author's Note(s): Oooh I'm so happy about the four reviews I got, lol. Can you tell it's fairly easy to make me happy? But yea, hehe, I'm still happy. Umm. I'm going to Maryland tomorrow night. I'm pretty sure I'll have a computer up there though so you guys should still be getting the updates. ^_^ Well. That about covers it I believe. On to the story.  
  
Oh, and I included the last scene just in case you guys forgot.  
  
****  
  
She could find no sleep that night, however. She tossed and turned until the early hours of the day. Tempted to call upon Sleep, she sat up. She walked over to her basin, splashing her face with some water. Suddenly she felt someone's presence behind her. She turned quickly.  
  
The first thing her eyes caught was deep amber. It was topped by carefree chocolate hair. The most abundant color was green. His tunic was a deep emerald green, nearly matching the emerald of her own eyes. His aura was colored the same deep emerald, and it pulsed throughout the room, nearly stifling her own light pink one. He had a muscular frame. The way he held himself enticed Sakura. She recognized the grace of a warrior.  
  
He spoke slowly. A smirk tinted his voice.  
  
"So we finally meet."  
  
****  
  
Sakura eyed the man wearily. He spoke as though he recognized her yet she had no memory of meeting him. She examined him once more before speaking.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
He laughed, making Sakura wince at the sound. She tapped her foot impatiently. Though his laughter, he managed to speak.  
  
"You do not know who I am, then?"  
  
Her eyes narrowed. "No, I just like asking to hear your beautiful laugh," she answered sarcastically.  
  
He raised an eyebrow, moving closer to her. She kept her feet glued to the floor, eyes intent upon the intruder. He stopped only inches from her. She noticed then that he was a good foot taller than her.  
  
"You aren't scared, eh?" His grin was slightly lopsided.  
  
She stared at him calmly. "Get out of my room."  
  
He laughed again, not moving. Slowly he quieted his laughter and bent down until his face was only centimeters from his. "Make me."  
  
The words were hardly out of his mouth when her fist moved. The man jumped back quickly, his smile ever-present. Sakura was slightly taken aback at his speed. His magic flowed around him protectively. Sakura let her own aura extend farther than before, forcing his back.  
  
The intruder stood, waiting for her to make her move. She sighed and stepped forward a little. "I really don't want to fight you."  
  
He smirked. "Not many do."  
  
She lunged at him; fists falling rapidly with perfectly executed punches. And every one of them was blocked. She drew back angrily, surprised at his skill. He hardly seemed to be trying. Using her anger as momentum, she lunged forward once again, her fists falling even faster than before. She growled as again they were blocked.  
  
Using her speed, she whirled around with a perfectly aimed kick. He pushed it aside roughly, leaving her open for attacks as she fought to recover her balance. He let the chance slide by. His smile was still intact.  
  
She growled angrily and tried again. Every move she used he blocked patiently. He never tried to strike. She threw a harsh punch, aiming for his jaw. He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him.  
  
"Do I get to try now?"  
  
She felt the searing pain before she even saw his fist. She crumpled, gasping for air. He landed a swift kick, sending her flying into the wall. She cursed. He was on her quickly, punching far too quickly for her to block. She could hardly move, much less block. She felt herself slipping into unconsciousness.  
  
She grasped onto some of the power she had, throwing it into the man. He was too surprised to block and fell backwards. She set up a magical shield, protecting herself from all magical attacks while she fought to regain her composure. She looked up from the floor just in time to see him rushing her. Using her agility, she jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding him.  
  
She calmed herself and stood, still breathing hard. This time when he rushed her, she was ready. She balanced carefully on the pads of her feet. When he was about a foot away, she grabbed for his shoulders, swiping his feet out from under him in the same movement. It was a basic trick; one he had not been expecting. He fell to the floor and Sakura jumped on top of him. She punched him in the eye, happy to finally land one.  
  
Before she could punch again, he threw her off of him using sheer strength. She recovered in the air, landing gracefully on her feet.  
  
'I need to end this fight.'  
  
She looked around desperately until her eyes finally rested on her bow. She jumped atop her bed, using his surprise to her advantage. She launched herself over his head, landing right next to her bow. Quickly drawing an arrow, she targeted him. He stopped in his tracks.  
  
Her breathing was coming hard and there were black spots at the end of her vision. She held herself up fully, not allowing him the satisfaction of seeing her hurt.  
  
"What's the matter? Too afraid to finish the fight hand-to-hand?" He was taunting her. She refused to take the bait. She was too weak to take the bait.  
  
'Sakura, are you all right?' Yue's worried thought broke through her concentration. In the split second she was off her guard, the man rushed forward, knocking away her bow and sending her sprawling on the ground. He pinned her down, grinning evilly.  
  
"If you were smart, you would've held on to that."  
  
Gasping to recover what little air she had once possessed, she fingered his eye. "And if you were smart, you would've ducked."  
  
The door flew open and two winged creatures entered the room, along with five armed men. Six bows and one set of sharp looking teeth were set on him. He carefully removed himself from Sakura, standing fully upright.  
  
"I think it's time I should go. I'll see you soon, Sakura." With those words, he disappeared. Yue's arrow pierced the air he had seconds before occupied.  
  
Keroberos raced over to Sakura, worriedly checking her wounds. He moved aside to allow one of the men to pass. He was one of the Champion's own Elite. She smiled up at him as he picked her up gingerly and placed her on her bed.  
  
His eyes were sad as he returned the smile. Without another word, he turned to leave. Soon only the two guardians were left in the room. Yue carefully approached his mistress.  
  
"You should have called for us," he said gently. His heart was not really in lecturing her.  
  
She smiled up at him too. "I'm fine. I've had worse wounds."  
  
The two shared a look. Keroberos finally spoke.  
  
"It's time you got some sleep. We'll let you rest."  
  
They stood to leave, but Sakura called out a quiet question. "Who was he, Yue?"  
  
He glanced up at her, a pained expression taking over his face. "That was Prince Syaoran."  
  
She gasped. "B-but . . . if I can't beat him. . ." she let it hang in the air.  
  
As the door clicked behind them, Sakura let herself drop into the depths of sleep that had only moments before she had had trouble reaching. Now sleep welcomed her with open arms.  
  
****  
  
"She lost to him, Yue. Who knows what would have happened if we hadn't come in when we did?" said the lion sadly.  
  
Yue carefully kept his gaze out the window. "She is still learning how to fight. He has been fighting his whole life. She'll get better."  
  
Keroberos growled, a deep rumbling sound. "She better do it fast. She'll be meeting him again soon."  
  
Yue sighed. "She'll just have to train along the way."  
  
The lion looked up quickly. "You can't possibly mean she's going tomorrow?" His tone was incredulous.  
  
Yue shared a look with the sun guardian. "She has to."  
  
He sighed. "Then we'd better look out for her."  
  
****  
  
Syaoran stepped into his living area. He was heading down the connecting hall for his room when he heard a voice behind him. [Eh, I had shower before. Then I realized I set it in a time period without showers. Oops.]  
  
"How did it go, my lord?" asked Einar.  
  
He ignored the man, continuing his journey towards the room. He stepped inside quickly and started for his water pitcher. As he was pouring it into a glass, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He scowled.  
  
'I'm going to have a black eye.'  
  
****  
  
Author's Note2: Well. This morning I looked this thing over and saw oh-so- many mistakes. So I had to fix it. The whole bottom scene had to be redone because for some stupid reason, I put that he was going to the shower. When they're in "olden-times". So yea. I apologize. It was late last night. Um. I know this is short, trust me, I'll have a longer one next time. 


	3. Sleeping Beauty Wakes

Disclaimer: I own the world. Just not CCS.  
  
Author's Note(s): I have so many ideas for this chapter that I just HAD to update it now. I'll update Partners soon. I've already started on the chapter, I just haven't finished. Um. Okay, well that's enough for now.  
  
Thanks to my reviewers! It was wonderful reading your reviews. I'm doing this shoutout by memory (I haven't been online today) but thanks to Kitsune? (sorry if I got the name wrong) and I'm glad you did review. ^_^  
  
Iris: Yes, I got the idea of having a "Champion" but other than that, this idea's been playing in my head for a long time. I don't even remember if Alanna had a group like the Elite in this story. But oh well, heh.  
  
****  
  
Sakura was awake early. Her eyes looked over her battered body and found herself disappointed. She hadn't been beaten this badly since her first year here.  
  
Soon she was testing her muscles, hoping underneath the bruises they would still work. Her first attempt to stand sent her reeling. She collapsed back on the bed in a flurry of curses. Once she had calmed, she tried again.  
  
'I have to at least stand.'  
  
Her determination was very strong and she soon found herself standing. She watched as the room swayed around her. She sighed. She had expected as much.  
  
She stepped forward, setting her concentration on balancing. One faltering step after the other, she made it across the room. She smiled as she watched the steps get less and less awkward.  
  
Her eyes flitted over to her sword. She walked slowly to it and unsheathed it. Her arm had to fight to hold it up, but hold it she did.  
  
She winced from the pain as she practiced with the sword. Her arm was burning from the activity; protesting the use. She ignored it and continued. Slowly it began to get easier.  
  
She looked down at herself. She had worked up a heavy sweat. She sheathed the sword again and walked towards her water basin. Quickly, she cleaned herself up, preparing herself for the new day.  
  
She set about collecting her weapons, staggering occasionally but never resting. Soon she was ready to leave.  
  
She looked out her window, carefully calculating the sun's location in the sky. She smiled, knowing what she had to do.  
  
'There is only one way to regain full use of your muscles. Train.'  
  
****  
  
A gust of fresh air welcomed her to the training court and she smiled. She always loved training early in the morning.  
  
She looked around the court, taking in the group of rocks in the western corner. She smiled wryly as she remembered her use for them the day before. To the east side of the court was a small group of trees, which provided shade on the hot summer days. The middle of the court was hard, packed-down dirt that gave the trainer steady footing.  
  
Sakura plopped down in the middle of the court and began stretching her ill- used muscles. She set her mouth, trying not to wince at the pain.  
  
'It must be done.'  
  
Once she had finished her stretches, she began to repeat the same movements she had used this morning with her sword. She started off going slowly through the motions before finally speeding up. Soon she had worked up another heavy sweat. She was now ready.  
  
She sent a small spiral of her magic out, calling forward the practice dummy into the court. She smiled wryly as it appeared in front of her.  
  
She started swinging her sword against the dummy, killing it many times before she sent a second tendril of magic hurling at it. She watched as it began to move. Now she had a partner.  
  
It attacked slowly, for its skill was not strong in the first stage. It progressively got better, causing the Champion to reciprocate. Soon Sakura lost perception of her surroundings, concentrating only on the dummy.  
  
She swerved in and out, avoiding her opponent's sword as it threatened to hit her. Her muscles ached, causing her to be slower than usual. She pushed them harder, pumping them even more in her determination. They answered, however weakly, and allowed her more movement. She slashed and block as each turn demanded, ignoring her chances to behead the dummy and thus end the fight. She wanted it to last.  
  
The dummy was getting progressively faster. It moved forward much more, its solid-black rock eyes eerily watching her movement. The canvas bag that made up the body moved fluently, just as a human might.  
  
She focused her gaze on his shoulder muscles, using them to anticipate the next swing. She felt her muscles begin to protest again but tried to push the pain away.  
  
So intent was she on pushing the pain away that she forgot to block one of the dummy's swings. She rolled out of the way just in time, sighing as she saw the sword pierce where she had recently been. She pushed herself to her feet, once again ignoring the pain, only to find the dummy swinging again.  
  
Hurriedly, she brought her sword upwards, barely blocking in time. She swung the sword and beheaded him, ending the fight.  
  
She fought to regain her breath. Through narrow eyes, she watched as the dummy's head floated from the ground and reattached itself.  
  
Her breathing not returned to normal, she looked down at herself. She had reopened a wound on her knee and it was bleeding freely. She cast around for a piece of cloth, becoming angry when she found none. She turned to head back towards the castle and ran headfirst into someone.  
  
The person's arms reached around quickly to steady her, preventing her fall. She smiled as she recognized the scent. He released her and she looked up into his scolding eyes.  
  
"You should be in bed, Sakura."  
  
She sighed. "I needed to practice, Yue."  
  
He looked at her for a moment, his frown never leaving his face. He took in her battered appearance, heartened somewhat by her fighting. She caught him look at her knee and saw his frown deepened. She hurried to speak.  
  
"It's nothing, Yue. It was a shallow cut when I got it and I just reopened it."  
  
Wordlessly, he pulled a piece of cloth out and handed it to her. She took it gratefully and rolled up her pants. She placed it carefully on the wound. She heard Yue's light gasp as he saw the state of her legs. Quickly, she rolled her pants leg down again, hoping he wouldn't say anything.  
  
"Is it time to leave yet?" she asked hurriedly, hoping to keep his attention elsewhere.  
  
He frowned, considering her before answering. "The men are just waking up. They should be ready within the hour." He looked at her for another moment. "You should see the palace healer before we leave."  
  
She sighed. "Don't be foolish, Yue. I'm fine. I just need a little more movement and my muscles will be back to normal."  
  
His eyes never left her face. "You need more hand-to-hand training."  
  
Her eyes widened in surprise before she began to smile. She loved training with Yue. He stepped forward, stretching his muscles quickly. Soon he set himself into a fighting stance. She smiled and mirrored him, waiting for him to attack.  
  
****  
  
The two trained until a growl interrupted them. Sakura flipped backwards, avoiding Yue's attack gracefully. They both turned to find a raging Keroberos. He flew into the training court, yelling.  
  
"What do you think you're doing Yue?! She should be in bed! Not throwing herself around like a crazy woman!"  
  
He turned to her, causing her to stumble backwards. "And you! I watched you crumple last night! Don't bother to tell me you're fine. I can't believe you two!"  
  
He turned back to Yue. "I thought YOU'D at least be sensible enough to put her back to bed."  
  
Sakura slowly began to walk towards him. He didn't notice. She was now only five steps away.  
  
"I've been searching for you all morning."  
  
Four steps.  
  
"I thought that stupid Prince had returned and taken you."  
  
Three steps.  
  
"And here I find out that Yue had already found you!"  
  
Two steps.  
  
"You couldn't even take the time to let me know?!"  
  
One step.  
  
"I swear, one day I'm just going to fly away and you'll never see me again."  
  
She launched herself into the air just as he noticed how close she was. She landed on top of him, making him fall. Throwing out her arms, she enveloped him in a huge hug, planting a kiss on the very top of his head.  
  
"And I'll still love you, Kero."  
  
He grumbled something before gently throwing her off. His eyes had softened. She smiled, catching Yue's amused eyes.  
  
Before he could speak again, she turned to lead the way out, heading to the castle in hopes of bidding the king farewell.  
  
****  
  
Keroberos watched her walking towards the castle, carefully measuring her steps. He noticed how she faltered a few times and looked slightly uncertain on her feet. He planted a worried frown on his face. To any observer, he was the picture of a worried guardian.  
  
Secretly, he was amazed. He had known her all through her training and had never ceased to be amazed. She had been hurt many times to the point of unconsciousness and yet the next morning she always woke and continued as though nothing had happened.  
  
It was nerve-racking.  
  
He cared about her too much to want to see her hurt, but she was so dead- set on becoming the best he was hardly able to protect her.  
  
'And that damned Yue doesn't help,' he thought angrily. 'With his intensive training, I'm surprised she isn't already in her grave.'  
  
He couldn't help but smile through his protectiveness. She had come a long way.  
  
****  
  
The king looked up as she entered the room. He smiled and dismissed the courtier that was jabbering to him. She looked rather surprised, but left in a hurry, recognizing the Champion.  
  
She walked over to him, stopping quickly to bow. As she stepped forward, he suddenly remembered to be amazed. His gaze flicked worriedly over her form, searching for weakness.  
  
She had chosen her outfit well, making sure most of her skin was covered. He could only spot one bruise, but his intense gaze picked up on a slight limp. She looked a bit awkward.  
  
He couldn't help but be proud. She was everything the seer had said.  
  
She spoke quietly. "We are to leave this morning, your highness."  
  
He stepped down from his throne, a kind smile on his lips. "I'm aware. Why else would I be up at this hour?"  
  
She smiled weakly. "Are there any orders, your highness?"  
  
He thought for a moment before responding. "Return home safe."  
  
Her smile was more sincere now. She turned to leave when he remembered something. "I sent an extra troop along. If our calculations are wrong and enemy soldiers are there, you'll need more to defend long enough for you to escape."  
  
He watched her eyes carefully, knowing she didn't want another troop. He also knew she couldn't protest. Finally she smiled.  
  
"Thank you, my lord."  
  
He watched her leave, hoping he would see her again soon.  
  
****  
  
Author's Note2: Hope this wasn't that boring. I don't have anymore time though. ^_^ Hehe. 


	4. Horses And A Rematch

Disclaimer: According to Ebay, I own CCS. SUE THEM!  
  
Author's Note(s): Okay, well. This is my warning to you guys. The beginning is very boring. It's full of boring preparations and introductions to some of the officers. I have five pages worth of them getting ready to leave the castle. I know, it sounds awful, but you have to meet everyone and get acquainted with the Elite and some of the other people.  
  
Knowing how boring the beginning is, I made it really long. I wanted to include at least SOMETHING you guys would enjoy; something that was interesting to read. You guys better appreciate it because it sure is long.  
  
For any of my multi-story reviewers, I'll have an update for Partners soon.  
  
Elisa Ang- I think you reviewed to this one too, so HEY GIRL!  
  
Azi- Where are you? I miss your honest reviews! Come back!  
  
Oh, and as for the S+S scenes, I'm sorry. I'm not sure if I'll include another meeting with them before they make it to the pass. If I do, it won't be anything lovey dovey. Remember, right now, they're enemies. And they hate each other. This will be a lot slower than Falling Blossom, but trust me. The end result will be good.  
  
****  
  
She strode out into the courtyard, making her way slowly to the Elite's private stables. Yue and Keroberos followed her every step. She rounded the last corner and saw all the horses neatly saddled. Their riders were streaming in and out of the stables.  
  
At first none of them noticed her. Two winged guardians and a limping girl cannot go unnoticed for long, however, and by the time they entered the stables, a large group of men had already surrounded her.  
  
Fighting to keep her voice calm, she ordered them back to their own mounts and headed towards her own horses. She found her mounts waiting for her. They looked up when she got near. She owned five horses at the moment. Because she did so much traveling, the need for horses was great.  
  
She looked over her two warhorses first. One was a stallion while the other was a gelding. Her eyes rested on her stallion, the pride of her stock.  
  
He was white as a dove from nose to butt. His mane and tail were a light blond color. While many braided their horse's hair, she had refrained from it. She liked his hair to be free in the wind.  
  
She smiled as she placed one hand on his neck and the other near his nose for him to inspect. He snorted into it, causing her to laugh and wipe it on him. He snorted again, showing his opinion for her action.  
  
His name was Talos. [if any of you have read my story on fictionpress.net, this name should sound familiar]  
  
She turned and looked at the gelding in the next stall. He was looking at her intently with jealousy clearly written in his features. Being a gelding, he would never take on the stallion, but jealousy was a strong emotion to deal with. Hurriedly, she stuck out a hand for the gelding to inspect. He lipped at it, tickling her hand and making her stifle a giggle.  
  
Although the gelding was not the gorgeous white so many desired he held his own beauty-wise. He was a dark chestnut color, nearly black. His face had a white mark right above his eye. He had earned the name Chiros, or 'wise teacher' because of all he had taught her of battle. He had been her very first warhorse.  
  
Three other horses were penned to the right of the gelding. She inspected these next, spending a few moments with each. The closest to Chiros was a gentle mare she had named Calla for her feminine beauty. She was white with brown spots strewn all over her body. A particularly large brown spot surrounded her eye. She petted the mare lightly, moving on. Calla was not made for heavy riding.  
  
Adara was in the next stall. Sakura stuck her hand inside the stall, checking to see the mare's temper. Though she was kind enough most of the time, she could be very dangerous if you miscalculated her mood. She smiled as the mare gently lipped her hand. Sakura examined the beautiful mare from head to toe. She was a light chestnut color with white stocking feet. Her face had a white star on her forehead.  
  
The last was another gelding. He was a dark black with white dappled throughout his body. He was the newest addition to her mounts. She had named him Aeolus, after the Greek ruler of wind. He earned his title because of his great speed. Though he was probably faster than Adara, she was not familiar enough with Aeolus to take him. She patted the gelding gentle on his head and pulled Adara from her stall.  
  
Anticipating the need to hurry, she grabbed the brush and began working with Adara. The mare seemed to understand her lady was in a hurry and let herself be groomed without complaints. Sakura went uninterrupted for a few minutes until she felt a light tap on her shoulder.  
  
She turned to find Lan, a stableboy, standing there. He motioned towards the two warhorses.  
  
"Which will my lady be taking today?"  
  
She looked over the two, inspecting them both. It was a hard choice but she finally motioned towards Talos. The stableboy bowed and started towards the stallion. Sakura stopped him with a quick yell.  
  
Lan turned to face her, eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"Let me take him out of the stall. He gets antsy when someone other than me deals with him," she said kindly.  
  
A snort to her right made her turn. Keland stood there, eyeing her wearily. "Antsy? The stallion will eat grain out of your hand and bite it in the same motion."  
  
Talos snorted as though he understood what Keland said.  
  
Sakura ignored her friend and tied the stallion to a grooming post. She looked him straight in the eyes and spoke quietly. "I don't have time to groom both of you. Let Lan do his job." When the stallion averted his eyes mischievously, she waited. Once his eyes were focused on her again, she finished with a bribe. "If you're good, I'll give you an apple."  
  
He stared at her for another minute before finally snorting. He pulled his head free and eyed the weary stableboy. Sakura motioned to him.  
  
"He's all yours."  
  
She returned to grooming the mare. Keland leaned against an empty stall, watching her.  
  
"You chose your two moodiest horses, Sakura," he said lightly.  
  
"I chose the two best suited for the job," she said seriously. Turning to give him a quick glance, she added lightly, "Besides. They're nice to me. It's you who gets bit so often."  
  
Keland smirked, but didn't answer. Sakura continued to groom Adara, taking in the loud bustle of the stables. She loved the smell of horses and the feeling she got before she rode out.  
  
'Even if it is dawn,' she added wryly.  
  
She caught Keland eyeing her strangely. Sakura walked over to collect Adara's tack. He raced over and picked it up before she could.  
  
"I'll do it," he said hurriedly.  
  
Sakura sighed. "I'm fine, Keland. I can handle it myself."  
  
He ignored her and placed the saddle on the mares back, completely forgetting the saddle blanket. Sakura wordlessly grabbed a blanket from the shelf. She had to fight a giggle when she saw the mare's expression. Sakura knew if the mare could speak she would call him an idiot.  
  
Keland blushed lightly, coughing to hide it and lifted the saddle, allowing her to place the blanket underneath. He reached down to tie it and jumped back just in time to avoid the mare's bite.  
  
Sakura placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, lightly pushing him away from the mare. She sent a sympathetic expression towards the mare and finished the job quickly. When she looked up, Keland was watching her just as nervously as ever.  
  
Exasperated, she tried again to console him. "Keland, for goodness sake, I'm fine. So I was a little rough last night. It's not a big deal. It's not like I haven't been hurt before. And my magic helps me heal faster."  
  
Seeing he was still unsure, she quickly added something she knew would make him feel better. "I promise, if I start to get too sick, I'll let you know."  
  
He eyed her, knowing full well she would never actually admit to a problem if there were one. Finally, he sighed.  
  
Lan's voice broke in. "My lady, the stallion is ready." The stallion was standing next to the boy, his coat gleaming from the cleaning. His back was bare: she would be riding Adara for now.  
  
She turned and smiled, thanking the stableboy. She had become very familiar with the scrawny redhead over the years. She took Talos's reins and led him from the stable with Adara following.  
  
Most of the Elite were assembled outside of the stable. The group of extra soldiers the king had sent with them was hovering nearby. They were standing in a group, talking lightly. She could hear the drowsiness in their voices. She checked the sky. It was not long after dawn, but they should be going now if they wished to make good time.  
  
She scanned over the men, frowning. The most important face she had expected to see was not there. She motioned for Yue to join her. Speaking quietly, she asked, "Where is Master Panos?"  
  
The guardian looked around for a minute before he stalked away, heading quickly for the castle. She sighed and went back inside the stable. She called forth a stableboy. Lan, who had been hovering nearby, answered her call.  
  
"Milady?"  
  
She quickly asked him if Panos had any horses in the stables. His expression went blank and he called another boy forward. The two talked quietly before Lan finally looked back at the Champion.  
  
"I understand milord has a mare in the general stables. She isn't fresh, though."  
  
Sakura cursed, wondering why Panos wasn't here. The mage knew he was needed this morning. He was normally very reliable. She walked to her own mounts and draped a lead rope across Aelous's neck, pulling him from his stall. She handed the pretty gelding to Lan.  
  
"Will you please groom and saddle him for Master Panos? Use my extra saddle for the time being."  
  
Lan bowed and set off to do as he was bid. Sakura sighed.  
  
Master Panos specialized in earth magic. His arrival to court the night before had been late, but the king had decided he would go with the Elite and help them to close the valley.  
  
Sakura had worked beside him a few times in the past and had always enjoyed it. He presented interesting conversation and was pleasant enough. He was a good fellow to discuss magic with.  
  
She frowned, wondering again why he wasn't here.  
  
She heard footsteps behind her and turned to find Lanus, a soldier of the Elite, approaching her. She smiled. Lanus often served as her second-in- command because he had a cool head in battle. He had light blond hair and gorgeous dark blue eyes. His friendly nature made him one of the most popular in the Elite.  
  
The two had become good friends after she had discovered his uncanny way of knowing what she was thinking. Though he had assured her he could not hear her thoughts, he was correct in guessing what was on her mind ninety percent on the time. This was no exception.  
  
"You know, Master Panos might see his share of battle, but he isn't part of the Elite," he said kindly. Seeing she didn't understand what he meant, he explained. "The Elite are used to rising before dawn. Most people are not, milady."  
  
She sighed. "I know that, but if we are to make it in time, we must hurry to leave. We're wasting too much time."  
  
His voice stayed kind. "Use the time to double check your saddlebags, milady. Clean your swords or groom your horses. Surely you have something you can do that's more useful than worrying."  
  
She smiled up at him and the two walked out the door. In the distance she saw two figures running towards them. One was a man who looked to be in his early forties. His hair was brown with little spots of gray on the side. Even from the distance she could tell he was tall.  
  
The second was a winged creature whose face was blank. He carried a sword in one hand and had a overly stuffed saddlebag draped across his shoulder.  
  
Seeing their approach, she turned to face her Elite. They were already starting towards their saddles. She sighed and raised her hand, capturing their attention.  
  
"Mount up everyone. We ride as soon as Master Panos is here."  
  
She noticed some of her men eyeing her wearily. She sighed, knowing this ride was not going to be fun. Her men worried about her. She shuddered to imagine all the looks that would follow her.  
  
'They'll be afraid to let me stand on my own.'  
  
She saw Lan approaching, rushing to hand Aeolus to her. She took the reins, thinking the stablehand again for a job well done. By the time she had the gelding near her own two horses, Master Panos was in front of her, his breathing heavy from all the running. Gasping for air, he tried to get his apologies out. She hushed him with a hand.  
  
"It's okay, Master Panos."  
  
He looked around quickly. "I meant to tell you this morning, milady. My mare isn't fresh. She needs rest. Is there another mare I might ride?"  
  
She pushed Aeolus's reins into the man's hand. He took them, a smile appearing on his lips. He looked at her, his eyes filled with silent admiration.  
  
"It's a gelding, not a mare, but he is well-mannered. He's no warhorse, but he's one of the swiftest creatures I've come across. He should be good for you," she said quickly.  
  
She held out her hand, accepting the saddlebag from Yue. While Master Panos accepted his sword, Sakura attached the saddlebags. The man mounted hurriedly, recognizing the whole company was waiting on him.  
  
Finished with Panos, she walked over and mounted Adara. About to hand Talos's lead rein to the handler, she called to Yue. He came quickly, Keroberos trailing behind him.  
  
"Would you like to ride Talos, Yue? You can fly when Talos gets tired, or walk if you get stiff, but I hate to put this nasty horse with a handler and you might appreciate the ride," she said, ignoring Talos's snort.  
  
Yue accepted the reins, nodding his consent. He mounted the great warhorse, ignoring Talos's attempt to bite him. Sakura hid a smile.  
  
Keroberos soon changed into his fake form, settling his smaller shape in Sakura's lap.  
  
Sakura breathed a big sigh of relief. They were finally ready to leave.  
  
She raised her hand again and shouted.  
  
"Let's go!"  
  
****  
  
They rode hard until the sun was high above their head. Sakura breathed in the musky horse smell mixed with the scent of the forest. She smiled as the breeze picked up a piece of her hair and moved it, letting the hair dance. Her emerald eyes sparkled.  
  
"How are you holding up, milady Champion?" came a polite voice. She turned and found Eneas, another of her Elite pulling her mount next to her.  
  
"I'm fine, Eneas. How are you? I see you haven't fallen off the horse yet," she said, gently taunting him.  
  
His cheeks went light red. He was part of the Elite for his warrior skills. On his first day on the job they had discovered he wasn't a very good horsemen. She smiled, remembering he'd fallen for the horse's trick and left the girth without tying it tight enough. Within the hour, he had been dumped off.  
  
"We can't all be natural horsemen like you, milady." She immediately recognized Lanus's voice. He had pulled up beside her.  
  
Sakura smirked. "Just because the horses put up with me doesn't mean I'm any good with them."  
  
Keland's voice interrupted them before Lanus could respond.  
  
"Milady, the soldiers are starting to tire. Might we stop for the midday meal?"  
  
Sakura sighed. She had been dreading his words. She knew her men were expecting to halt for the meal, but they had been slow to leave. She needed to make up for the time wasted.  
  
She thought for a minute, trying to decide, when she caught Panos's expression. Although the mage rarely complained, he was not seasoned for harsh riding. She frowned and called for the halt.  
  
****  
  
She put the leftover half of the sandwich back in her saddlebags, not hungry enough to finish it. She heard Yue's footsteps behind her.  
  
He pointed to a level spot nearby where no soldiers were. Sakura knew what he wanted. Sighing, she straightened her stiff muscles. Although she would never admit it, she was tired. Her muscles were hurting from the beating they had taken the night before.  
  
Knowing the only way to decline the training would be to explain this, she accepted.  
  
'I might as well protect my pride as long as I can.'  
  
She went to grab her sword, but Yue stopped her.  
  
"Hand-to-hand combat is more important right now, Sakura. You're excellent with the sword."  
  
His compliment did not go unnoticed though she still fought to stifle her groan. With another of her big sighs, she let him lead her over to the spot.  
  
The soldiers were eyeing her as she got into her fighting stance. She was a little nervous to be fighting in front of them. Gnawing on their sandwiches and drinking their water, they looked too much like a theater's anxious audience for her liking.  
  
Yue made the first attack. He swung out with his right fist, aiming for her left cheek. She raised her hand in time to deflect the blow. Instead of swinging back, she waited for his next move. This seemed to puzzle him, but he tried again, this time aiming for the more solid stomach. She lowered her arm this time, deflecting the blow. She did not attempt to strike back.  
  
The next time he tried to attack, he went for her left side. She recognized it and lowered her arm, grabbing his hand in a graceful motion. Using her hip and her knee, she launched him over her, realizing too late she was dealing with someone who had wings.  
  
He pumped his wings in the air and flew forward, knocking Sakura to the ground. She rolled out of the way of his punch, waiting for him to land on the ground again. As soon as he did, she swiped a foot under him, knocking his leg from underneath him. She jumped up and waited for him to stand.  
  
The two exchanged quick blows until Sakura felt herself being vaulted over his shoulder. She watched as the ground disappeared and the sky took its place. She quickly twisted in the air, wrenching free from his grasp, and landed somewhat on her feet.  
  
"You can't even beat your own guardian. That's pathetic," said a voice, right next to her ear. She looked around, startled, to find no one nearby. The result was a punch to her side. She doubled over.  
  
Seeing Yue ready himself for a kick, she rolled to her left, barely avoiding it. She crawled to her feet, immediately throwing herself into a jump to avoid Yue's second kick. She gasped through the pain in her side, wondering where the voice had come from.  
  
"Your kingdom must be a weak country if you are the strongest," continued the voice.  
  
This time she didn't waste time looking around and blocked Yue's kick. She recognized the voice. Feeling stupid, she spoke out loud, hoping he would hear her.  
  
"What's pathetic is when someone sends their voice just to startle someone while they're in the middle of a fight. What's pathetic is when that someone can't even show their face," she heard her voice, surprised to hear it so heavy with anger. Quickly she forced herself to speak lightly, "Or is your eye too colorful to show?"  
  
Whispers spread throughout the onlookers. Yue stopped, gazing at her hard. A figure suddenly appeared to his left.  
  
Ignoring the guardian, Syaoran approached Sakura angrily. Sakura noted his eye was the same shade of purple as the rest of her body.  
  
He stopped in front of Sakura, looking down at her with a glare fixed on his face. "What do you want, Sakura? Do you want to fight me again?" His gaze flicked down her body and his face smoothed into a smirk. "Why are you in such a hurry? Your bruises are still fresh."  
  
She moved her leg before she could react. He doubled over, clutching his shin. She smiled sweetly when he looked up, his glare reappearing. With what sounded like a war cry, he charged forward. Sakura, anticipating this move, jumped into the air, twisting to watch him fall forward.  
  
Syaoran collected himself angrily and turned to try again. Just as her feet were touching the ground, he grabbed her, pinning her down. She cursed, trying to kick out of his grasp. His hands were steady.  
  
He moved his face closer to hers. "Do you really want to fight me, Sakura?"  
  
She smiled at his carelessness. Using her right knee, she aimed slightly higher than before. She watched as his eyes went wide and his face paled.  
  
A loud guffaw from the watching soldiers alerted her of the audience's opinion of the blow.  
  
"That's just mean, milady!" shouted one of the Elite.  
  
Smiling grimly, she pushed him off of her, slamming him into a nearby tree. He was still fighting to recover from the first blow. She landed two punches and swirled around for a kick. To her surprise, he was ready for her kick.  
  
He caught her leg and pushed her backwards. She landed roughly on the ground and rolled to avoid him. She used her momentum to stand. Turning to face the approaching man, she threw out a bit of magic. It knocked him backwards and she launched herself forward, pushing him into the tree again.  
  
She placed her hand on his windpipe before he could recover. Applying pressure, she waited until he relaxed. She could feel Yue's intent gaze on her back. While the soldiers might not understand who the man was, Yue did.  
  
She leaned close to him. "Go away, Prince Syaoran. You do not belong in this country."  
  
Her words brought a gasp from the soldiers. They now realized who she was fighting. Reaching for their weapons, she head them scramble to their feet. They hung back, waiting for their leader's order.  
  
When he said something obnoxious, she applied more pressure, watching his face get red. She suspected little of it was due to the increased pressure. Most of the color was supplied by anger.  
  
His hand flew out, grabbing her around the waist. She drew a quick breath, startled by the tingles it brought. He tried to pull her away from him, but she answered by increasing the pressure on his windpipe even more. She heard him make a strange sound with his throat before he finally released her waist.  
  
"I want you to go away, Li. Return to your kingdom and that trash heap you call a palace. Your very breath litters our clean countryside."  
  
Finally, she released him, keeping an eye firmly on him. He cursed and disappeared as he had before.  
  
She smiled, giddy as she realized she had beaten him.  
  
****  
  
He watched from the seer's glass as her men swarmed around her, especially that lion guardian. He cursed as he rubbed the front of his neck. It was still sore from the pressure she had applied. He watched her emerald eyes as they danced with delight.  
  
'Green is my favorite color,' he thought absently.  
  
Behind him, Einar growled.  
  
"I sent you to discover where they were going. Not to fight with the girl," he said, his voice dangerously low.  
  
Prince Syaoran turned to Einar, his expression carefully blank. "We can watch them from here."  
  
As though it had heard him, the seer's glass went blank. Prince Syaoran turned back quickly, demanding to know why it had gone blank. The seer, drawn back in fright, shrugged.  
  
"Of course it's blank, Syaoran! They'll have spells now to protect them from being discovered. Use your head, damnit," Einar said angrily. He added ruefully, "For something other than collecting bruises."  
  
He fingered the black eye he had received and another spot on his cheek. The second one was new. He growled, glaring at the man who was in charge of their realm's armies.  
  
"Watch what you say, Einar."  
  
The man eyed the prince wearily. The prince smirked.  
  
"Do you think I'm stupid enough to believe what you said in your reports? You told us their king had boasted stealing the Li's Staff."  
  
He was silent for a moment before answering. "It was the true, your highness."  
  
Syaoran laughed. "Now I'm 'your highness'? I'm not a fool, Einar. While my mother may have complete faith in you, that's not the case with me. I know you hate the king and I know you want revenge on him. This war is just a little too perfect, don't you think?"  
  
Einar bowed. "Your highness, you speak as though I committed treason." His voice was low and slightly timid.  
  
The prince gestured carelessly with his hand. "I know what I think, Einar. I cannot prove it, so the war continues. All I am saying is you should watch what you say about me. If you convince me my time isn't well spent with the Champion, I might have to put it towards other things. Like checking your reports more carefully."  
  
Einar bowed again, watching as the prince left the chamber.  
  
His curses rang throughout the hall though no one was there to hear them.  
  
****  
  
Author's Note 2: I think this is the new record for my longest chapter. -smiles- I hope the second part was interesting enough for you. I added another Syaoran and Sakura scene, and if you look carefully, there's a small thing that suggests Sakura's attracted to him. That's all I could do for now, but trust me. This will be S+S.  
  
Oh, and I'm really sorry, I haven't edited it yet. I know, because there are so many details, that I must have messed up a couple of things. I have to go right now or I'd look through it more carefully. Sorry! 


	5. Congratulations?

Disclaimer: Nope, CCS is still not mine.  
  
Author's Note(s): I hope the last chapter was exciting enough. Umm. . . the very end scene was very important. I forget who asked, but no, I really couldn't shorten the preparations. I wanted the horses' descriptions in there because so far I've not described many things, including appearances of people. So yeah.  
  
That's it. Hope you enjoy.  
  
****  
  
Yue watched her with a frown as the Elite moved forward to congratulate her. He heard Kero join him. He coughed back a snort when he saw the guardian was still in his false form.  
  
"She was wonderful! You've trained her well," he said with a smile.  
  
Yue glared. "She's not good enough. He was just careless. If he'd have been serious, she wouldn't have won."  
  
Kero sighed. "You're too tough on her, Yue. She's learned so fast."  
  
"She still needs training. Lots of it," he said.  
  
Kero glared. "Fine. Train her until you've grilled her into a pulp. I'm sure she'll be useful then." He flew off, taking his anger with him.  
  
The moon guardian sighed, keeping his face straight.  
  
'I just want to help her. I won't watch her get killed.'  
  
****  
  
After five minutes of their congratulations, she was ready to push each and every one of them over a cliff. At first it had been nice to let her ego feast. Her ego was now full and giving her indigestion. She sighed before stepping through the crowd of Elite. Before they could continue, she held up a hand.  
  
"We can't waste anymore time. Mount up."  
  
She turned her back on them as she checked her tack to make sure it was still in place. She patted Adara's head and went to examine Talos. He snorted into his mistress's hand and was rewarded with a gentle smile. Lifting his head to reach her face, he smelled all over before finally snorting again. Sakura ducked to avoid it. With a stern look, she strode over to Aeolus.  
  
Master Panos was standing next to him, returning his lunch to his saddlebag. He saw her approaching and flashed a charming smile.  
  
"That was some wonderful lunchtime entertainment," he said, his voice light.  
  
She cringed. "It was nothing. I just hope he doesn't reappear anytime soon."  
  
He smiled politely, letting their conversation fall into silence. Sakura watched as the Elite, along with the troop the king had assigned, mounted up. She turned suddenly to the mage.  
  
"Will you have enough magic to close an entire valley?"  
  
He looked surprised. "Well, if there are rocks nearby, yes. If not, I might have to ask for your help."  
  
She nodded and looked away. "I wish I at least knew why the Li's suddenly hate us so much. We were never wonderful allies, but why did they suddenly get an itch to attack us?"  
  
He looked away thoughtfully. "I don't know, but for some reason our eastern neighbors DO hate us. And we'll just have to be ready." He smiled at her. "And with the strongest Champion our country has ever seen, we should be able to hang on."  
  
She blushed. "I don't know about that."  
  
He rested a hand on her shoulder. "I do. You're a wonderful Champion, Sakura. And a wonderful leader. Your men all love you. I've never seen men obeying someone as well as your men obey you."  
  
Her blush deepened. With a polite nod, she left him for her mare.  
  
Throwing herself into the saddle, she looked over to see Yue already seated atop Talos. His face was impassive as he stared at her. She shared the gaze before breaking away and turning towards her men.  
  
"We'll ride till late night. Be prepared for a late meal. We need to make better time," she said, letting the wind carry her voice.  
  
Grimly, they nodded. Sakura spurred her horse forward, leading the train of men towards the valley.  
  
****  
  
Sakura rode in silence, glancing often at Yue. He hadn't said a word to her since they'd left. He kept his face looking forward. She sighed finally and turned to him.  
  
"What is it that's turned your face so sour, Yue?" She tried to keep her voice light, but winced when she heard the harshness embedded inside.  
  
He turned to her, his face the example of her statement. He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I've done nothing wrong. Why are you acting like that?"  
  
Slowly, he answered. "I'm acting like myself. I never said you did anything wrong."  
  
She sighed, a long, angry sigh. She decided a change in subject was needed. "Did you cover our tracks so the prince couldn't See us anymore?"  
  
He nodded without looking at her.  
  
Sakura turned sharply to face the front, her anger making her sit straighter. She glanced down at Kero, who had curled up in her lap. He was looking at Yue with a scowl.  
  
Keland pulled up beside Sakura, chattering away. He stopped suddenly, unnerved at the silence surrounding the Champion and her guardians. He glanced anxiously at her. She shook her head lightly with a silent 'Don't ask'.  
  
"How is everyone back there?" she asked politely.  
  
His face broke into a grin. "Still discussing your fight with the Prince."  
  
She heard Yue snort. Motioning discreetly to Keland, she waited for him to fall back before pulling her horse right next to Yue.  
  
"Yue, this is the last time I'm going to ask you. Why are you so mad?" she asked, keeping her voice low so the men wouldn't overhear.  
  
He looked up at her, eyes icy. "You're over celebrating your luck."  
  
Her eyes widened before narrowing in anger. "What are you talking about?"  
  
He just stared at her.  
  
She fought to keep from snarling at him. "I've just beaten the same guy who, less than twenty-four hours ago, left me unconscious. Do you understand that?" When his face remained impassive, she let out a short laugh. Throwing her hands up in defeat, she continued.  
  
"Fine. I'm sorry for being a little proud of myself. I'm sorry for being happy when others recognize what I accomplished." She realized her voice was getting louder and more hysterical. Eyes flashing, she moved in a closer to deliver the last sentence. "But most of all, I'm sorry I'm not like you, sitting on your horse and acting cold to those who love you."  
  
She pressed her horse away from Yue. He answered her, his tone icy. "And I'm sorry, Sakura, that you're proud you beat a man who wasn't even trying."  
  
The men behind her went very silent. The Champion's anger rose and her aura flew out, stifling some of the Elite. Instead of its usual light pink it was not closer to red. Shaking with anger, she forced herself to keep from answering. She didn't want her men to see her lose control.  
  
She rode in silence for the next hour, hoping Yue was reading the vicious thoughts she projected towards him in her head.  
  
****  
  
Yue stared forward, watching the road disappear under the borrowed mount he was riding. He ignored the curious looks the Elite gave him. He was in no mood to deal with them.  
  
His anger surrounded him like a warm cocoon, keeping almost everything but his angry thoughts from him.  
  
'I thought I raised a warrior who knew how to tell the difference between luck and skill. Instead it appears I've raised one who gloats because someone else messed up.'  
  
His rants continued until a lone thought broke free. This one didn't match his own angry ones. It was hurt. It was also Sakura's.  
  
"Why isn't he proud of me?"  
  
His anger drained, replaced by a new feeling. Guilt. He sighed and glanced over at his mistress. Her aura had cooled to its normal shade of pink, but he didn't dare visit her. He knew her anger would return if he took one step towards her.  
  
'She still shouldn't have been so proud. I had to make her realize the victory was small,' he said, trying to convince himself.  
  
"Victories give her hope, Yue. And hope is fuel. Let her have her fuel."  
  
Yue growled when he heard Kero's voice. He hated the guardian entering his thoughts. He felt the lion's smile before he withdrew himself.  
  
Yue sighed. He hated apologies.  
  
****  
  
Sakura sighed as she watched the sun sinking slowly down the horizon. She didn't want to travel at night, but she knew they needed to get farther. She glanced down at Adara, checking her condition. The men behind her looked weary, but she knew they would push on if asked to.  
  
She called Lanus to her. "See how tired the men are. I need to know if we can keep going tonight," she said softly. He nodded. He was used to this command.  
  
She watched as he wandered slowly from one group to the other, asking them casually how they fared.  
  
Keland rode up beside her. "Are we continuing more into the night, or will we stop soon?" he asked.  
  
She frowned. "I haven't decided yet." Looking him over, she asked, "How are you feeling?"  
  
He smiled. "You know me. I just adore spending an entire day in the saddle."  
  
Sakura laughed at his sarcasm, leaning over to push him on the shoulder.  
  
His face turned serious. "How are you?" His eyes were glued to her face. She smiled grimly. It didn't touch her eyes.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
Sakura knew he didn't believe her. She sighed.  
  
'That's what you get for being so close to them. They know you so well you can't lie about how you feel.'  
  
Before he could say anything, Lanus returned.  
  
"The majority of the men say they're just bored. They want to stop, but I think they can handle more time in the saddle."  
  
She looked forward at the slowly passing ground, frowning as she thought. Finally, she stopped her horse and turned to address them.  
  
"We're going to press forward a little more. I know of a place where we'll have good shelter from any enemies. It shouldn't take us more than an hour to get there."  
  
They all nodded. She stifled a sigh as she realized they were once again watching to make sure she was okay. She cursed Yue. If they hadn't gotten into a fight loud enough for the man on the moon to hear, the men might be leaving her alone.  
  
She set her mount forward, increasing the pace slightly. She set her mind on the road.  
  
'I hope we get there soon. I'm ready to forget this day.'  
  
****  
  
Syaoran sighed in frustration. "They weren't a large fighting force, Einar. Not large enough to take on our troops."  
  
Einar smirked, "Maybe they don't know just how many troops we have."  
  
He looked the man over, eyes cold. "Are you going to risk this war on a 'maybe'?"  
  
Yelan walked into the room. "Ahh, my two favorite boys. What are we discussing today?"  
  
Syaoran nodded politely to his mother, pulling out a chair for her. She smiled at Syaoran and let herself be seated.  
  
"A group, containing the Champion, has been spotted," said Einar simply.  
  
Yelan raised her eyebrows delicately. "And why don't we know where they're headed?"  
  
Einar looked at Prince Syaoran, remembering their earlier conversation. Sighing, he turned towards the queen. "Because they have a spell preventing our Seer from Seeing them."  
  
The queen looked at Syaoran. "And you, my sweet, cannot break the spell?"  
  
He frowned. "It's Yue's magic."  
  
The queen watched him, speaking slowly. "I've seen you crack hard spells before. You just need to concentrate on it." She looked at Einar. "Would you say it's vital for us to know what the Champion is doing?" At the advisor's nod, the queen focused her attention back on Syaoran. "Then I suggest you try harder."  
  
Before Syaoran could protest, his mother rose from her chair and, content her deliberating job was finished, left them. Einar watched the prince, victory creating a gleam in his eye. Syaoran looked at him carelessly.  
  
"Would any of your reports have information on Yue's magic?"  
  
Einar watched him, eyes narrowing. "No, your highness, they only contain information on the Li's Staff and other miscellaneous intelligence."  
  
The prince smirked. "Well, you've had so much on your mind, Einar, that perhaps you have forgotten. I think I'll begin my search there."  
  
He left the room, leaving the advisor's anger behind.  
  
Einar watched the prince go before hurriedly crossing to the other side of the room. A small table lined the wall. Reaching inside, he dug out a mirror. With a smile, he sent a spiral of his own dark blue magic hurling towards it. He watched as it began to show the shape of a young woman.  
  
"Lisha?" he cooed softly.  
  
Her hair was a dark black that surrounded her sapphire-blue eyes like a curtain. Her robe was a similar shade of sapphire. It covered her, engulfing her small figure, and yet strangely accenting her curves. Once she heard Einar, she looked up, mirroring his smile.  
  
"Hello my love, how are things there?"  
  
Einar's smile turned into a frown. "That brat of a prince is starting to suspect something. He's looking through my reports."  
  
"And will he find anything?" Her voice stayed light.  
  
"Of course not," he said quickly. "I took great care in writing those."  
  
Her smile grew. "Good." Before she could continue, there was a knock on her door. She frowned. "I must go."  
  
Einar nodded. Her image disappeared.  
  
He placed the mirror back into the drawer before leaving the room. He was unaware of the amber watching him carefully.  
  
****  
  
Author's Note2: Heh, the last scene is a little darker. Hope you enjoyed.  
  
-does a happy dance- I have a proofreader! Yay! Mini Star is SUCH a lifesaver. ^_^  
  
-_- Sadly, though, stupid ff.net is not working. I will have to wait to post this. 


	6. Forest of My Past

Disclaimer: I'm running out of ideas these days.  
  
-Syaoran smirks- Yes, your writing shows as much.  
  
-UrbanCinderella glares, then turns sweetly back towards the audience- Though the mind I humbly call my own may swirl with many colorful ideas, I was not the great and honorable CLAMP, who first fabricated CCS. My only consolation is to write fiction based on the first original ideas, adding my own gently in, producing a wonderful end result.  
  
-UrbanCinderella smiles triumphantly and faces Syaoran once again.- How was that?  
  
-Syaoran frowns- Flowery.  
  
Author's Note(s): I know, long time no update. Hope it's good enough to please you guys. ^-~ Thanks for the reviews.  
  
Azi: You mentioned in your review something about Keland liking Sakura? I know I messed up in the last chapter, because I made him fall out of the type of character I meant for him to be. In this chapter I'll be trying to shift him back more towards. . . well. . . a cool-headed guy, not someone as easily unnerved as he appeared in the last chapter. I'm sorry he seemed like he liked her, I'm going to have to do something to put a stop to that. I'm still kicking myself for messing him up last chapter.  
  
Summer Lover: Take a breath, dork. HAH! I called you a dork. Can't wait for the wrathful emails to roll in now that you know what I mean. ^-~  
  
Everyone else: HEY! Como estas?  
  
****  
  
Sakura rolled rather ungracefully from her horse. Her legs remembered their job at the last moment and caught her, though she felt the Elite's eyes on her back. She sighed, her nerves already sufficiently frazzled.  
  
'If it were under any other circumstances, that move might have brought me a month's worth of a banter. Instead I'll get only worried glances.'  
  
Not bothering to turn, she stretched her sore muscles quickly, muttering curses lightly under her breath. Riding hard for a day was not the best idea when covered in bruises. Even her revenge, though sweet, could not avenge the pain.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she finally forced her abused body to turn and face her men. The straightened themselves, waiting for her orders. She motioned to their surroundings.  
  
"We will stay here tonight," she said simply. The soldiers began to reach for their saddlebags, but the Elite stayed firmly where they were. Sakura smiled grimly before she let her face become impassive again. Tonight, even her men's obedience could not cheer her.  
  
She waited until the soldiers had nervously returned to facing her before she rattled off duties. She didn't bother with digging latrines; they wouldn't be here for long. Cooking, tending the horses, and making camp would be a personal task for the men. The only list begging attention was the sentry list. She pointed out posts before walking down the line of assembled men. She detailed four shifts, pointing towards the men as she named their time. She placed herself on the last shift. Only Master Panos was excluded.  
  
As they heard her name, many of the Elite looked up. Lanus approached her cautiously, bowing before her. She kept her face impassive, motioning for him to speak. Mentally, she prepared her weary brain, praying only that it was nothing she couldn't deal with.  
  
"Milady, we have enough sentries. You do not need to post yourself." He spoke slowly, his words firm and yet gentle.  
  
She watched him through narrowed eyes, knowing he had avoided mentioning how tired she was. She sighed, feeling a smile tug at her lips.  
  
"You are very diplomatic, Lanus," she said, earning a few light chuckles from the soldiers. Most of the Elite watched her closely, waiting to see her decision.  
  
"If you are all sure. . . ," she said, letting her voice trail off. After a burst of loud agreements, she held up her hands in defeat. "Fine."  
  
She turned her attention to Adara, letting out a slow breath. Though she hated the special treatment, she was glad to be catching up with her sleep.  
  
Untying the knots, she pulled her blanket free from the saddle. Her eyes scanned over the familiar surroundings. It was a large clearing surrounded ominously by large maple trees. Draping the bedroll lightly over her shoulder, she led Adara to the very edge of the clearing and underneath the largest tree.  
  
As she unsaddled and groomed her mount, she spared a glance at the men. She smiled as she saw that they had all chosen to sleep in the middle of the clearing, keeping as far from the trees as possible. She shook her head lightly and her smile fell from her lips. She let her painful memories take her away.  
  
'My ears hurt from the awful news. My mind is stunned. They couldn't  
be gone. This man, Cland I remind myself absently, he is lying. It is  
just a cruel joke. If I only wait long enough, he will shout  
"Midsummer's Jest". I stare for another minute, then tire of his game.  
  
I pump my legs forcefully, ignoring his desperate calls. Soon I  
outdistance him. I watch as the forest whirs by. If I only run fast  
enough, I will see the village. I will see my parents. It was just a  
joke.  
  
I burst through the bushes, opening my arms wide, presenting myself  
triumphantly to the village. I have figured out their joke. Surely  
they will be sad from their failure, but together we would laugh about  
it over the fire. I wait for them to come out of their hiding spots  
and yell surprise.  
  
An angry yell echoes out. I stare blankly; only my eyes work now. I  
see town buildings we had all gathered in together. I see the burned  
mess that was once my loving house. I see a crumpled heap of charred  
brown and choke back a sob. My father's lifeless eyes are peering  
through the brown. My mother's head lies near his body, severed from  
her body.  
  
My ears wake. I hear heavy footsteps, running towards me. I hear heavy  
breathing and the sound of metal being pulled from its protective  
sheath. With a heavy accent, a man swears loudly. Though most curses  
are reserved for unhappiness, his voice is light and excited. It is  
followed by an excited laugh.  
  
Touch comes next. Rough hands seize me from behind, pulling me back  
into the forest. I let them take me; I'm still in shock. I feel the  
sword as it slashes mere inches behind me.  
  
My mind is with me now. I no longer let myself be pulled; I run.  
Animal instinct makes me flee. The stranger releases my hand and races  
with me. Together we outdistance the man and his awful sword. Grabbing  
my hand, my stranger throws me into a bush. I see him pull his own  
sword from its sheath and await the other man.  
  
I close my eyes. I hear the sound of metal meeting metal. I hear heavy  
breathing and heavier curses. I don't want this. My ears pick up  
another familiar sound. Metal breaks through skin where it promptly  
meets bone. It slashes through the bone until it meets air. Now it is  
free. The fight is over.  
  
A gasp escapes my lips as something hits me. My eyes open. I look  
down, into my pursuer's eyes. A tear falls from my eyes but I do not  
show any more fear.  
  
The same hand grabs me just as roughly, pulling me from the bush. This  
time I fight. I push his hands away from me, returning to the bush. It  
takes a moment, but soon my mouth is wet enough. Aiming carefully, I  
spit on the man.  
  
I hear a snort and feel myself being pulled again. This time I let him  
take me. He lifts me in his arms and I finally see him.  
  
His hair is dark, as are his eyes. They seem kind, although they now  
gleam from battle. His body is tall and slightly lanky. I did not  
realize who he was and he did not tell me, though I would meet him  
again in his true form shortly.  
  
He carries me lightly as though my weight is nothing. Soon I see two  
horses. Startled, I let him place me on one. He mumbles something  
about riding and I take the reins lightly. I let his mare lead so my  
attention is mostly free.  
  
I watch blankly as the forest waves goodbye to me. As the leaves  
rustle around me, I carefully ignore any other sound. My heart grows  
sad as I realize all I am leaving. The wind surrounds me, gently  
protecting me. I let the sounds keep me from the present.  
  
We ride in silence. Finally we break through the end of the forest. I  
rein in my mare uncertainly. The stranger looks back and curses before  
trying to grab the reins from me. I keep my grip firm. I cannot leave  
the forest. I tell him as much.  
  
He curses again and jerks the reins from my hand, glaring at me. His  
kind eyes look unnatural in such a way. I stare without a word, though  
he makes up for my silence with a long speech about ungrateful  
children.  
  
I did not hear it all. I slip from my horse and race back towards the  
forest. The trees now wave their welcome; the wind greets me gaily.  
  
Then I stop. I urge my body forward but it remains motionless. Words  
break through my new surprise.  
  
"You are coming with me, girl. Returning to that forest will result in  
nothing but your death. Now get on the horse," he said roughly.  
  
I feel my legs moving and glare at him. His orders are in my head. I  
can hear him in my mind as he tells me to move. "How can this stranger  
force me to abandon my home?" I argue with him. My legs stop moving,  
proof of my anger's power.  
  
"I cannot leave the trees." Now his thoughts are nothing but weak  
echoes.  
  
"My family will miss me." My thought jolts me and a pained gasp claims  
me. Suddenly the man's voice is booming my thoughts. I watch numbly as  
I climb back atop the provided mare. The forest's goodbye once again  
echoes in my ears. A lone tear falls.'  
  
A voice brought her from her memories. She knew he had viewed the memories with her. "You were stubborn."  
  
Sakura knew he was trying to apologize. Her anger bristled. He had embarrassed her before and now he wanted to apologize? She might accept it, but he wouldn't get off easily.  
  
"I had lost my home and my family. You were making me leave the last thing I had to comfort me: the forest. How did you expect me to react? And, might I remind you, you weren't being overly nice." Her voice was harsh now.  
  
Yue was quiet. When he answered, his voice was softer than she had ever heard it. "I am hard on you when I am trying to protect you."  
  
Her anger slowly drained, leaving her with no response. She felt his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I am sorry," he said, his voice still soft. "I was indeed proud of you."  
  
His words melted any remaining anger she had bottled up and she gave him a quick hug, startling the guardian greatly. Though his expression was surprised for a moment, it soon flashed back to its normal guarded mask.  
  
He stepped back from her, looking at the trees. "They are happy to have you home," he said thoughtfully.  
  
Sakura smiled. "It's been a long time since I've seen this place." She looked around again, her smile turning loving. "I got my first kiss in this clearing."  
  
Yue snorted. "And the trees probably remember it."  
  
The wind rustled the leaves lightly. Sakura watched as a leaf broke free of the branch and floated over to her, landing gently in her outstretched hand. She closed her fist over it, thanking the tree for its gift.  
  
The two stood there for a moment before Yue sighed. "You are tired."  
  
Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but a yawn escaped instead. She blushed and turned from the guardian's amused glance.  
  
Quickly, she tied Adara's reins loosely in the tree, giving her enough room to graze. She spread her bedroll on the floor, not bothering with food. Yue smiled faintly before leaving her.  
  
As she dropped her head on the roll, she went through her usual checklist. She had just gotten to horse grooming when her eyes closed. She let herself drift off to sleep.  
  
****  
  
Kero flew towards Yue, landing gracefully on his shoulder. The moon guardian smirked.  
  
"To what do I owe the honor?"  
  
The lion glared at him for a minute before answering. "You apologized to Sakura, then?"  
  
Yue's only answer was a grunt. Kero's face sprouted a smile.  
  
"Good."  
  
Without another word, the sun guardian flew off, heading towards Sakura's bedroll. Yue watched as he tucked himself neatly beside her. Shaking his head, Yue plopped down against a tree, his eyes rooted to Sakura. He knew she would go into a rage if she saw him guarding her, but it had to be done.  
  
He let out a slow sigh, wishing he had brought a blanket. The bark was beginning to scratch his wings. Finally he changed into his false form. Exhaustion flowed into him as well as hunger. He groaned as he remembered this form had many more needs.  
  
There was a polite cough behind him and he turned, scowl present.  
  
Keland stood in the shadows of the tree. Yukito smiled politely yet distantly before leaning back in his original position. Sleep was trying to claim him and its grip was strong.  
  
This time the man laughed. He moved forward and dropped something onto Yukito's lap. The guardian looked down and found a blanket. The man now handed him a cold sandwich. He took it eagerly, biting off a large portion.  
  
Seeing how fast the food was going, Keland produced another sandwich quickly. Yukito looked up at him, eyes smiling and questioning at the same time.  
  
Keland shrugged at the unspoken question. "I've seen you change before, Yue."  
  
He glanced back at Sakura, speaking over his shoulder as he continued. "If she wasn't so tired, she would be in my place right now."  
  
Yukito snorted. "I'm her guardian. Not the other way around."  
  
Keland looked back quickly, recognizing the angry tone. He kept his own voice mild, speaking slowly. "Accepting kindness isn't always a show of weakness."  
  
Before the guardian could respond, he stood, letting a yawn escape his lips. "Now, I'm tired. I'm off to bed."  
  
He left with a simple goodnight, leaving the guardian alone with his thoughts.  
  
Yukito watched Sakura's sleeping form as he finished his second sandwich. He wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, feeling very sleepy. He thought over Keland's advice for a moment. A grim smile found his lips.  
  
'Maybe Sakura should try it herself.'  
  
****  
  
'The sound of her footsteps was accompanied by her laughter. She  
watched as the trees slipped away beside her. The way the trees were  
moving reminded her of something. A shout behind her and heavy  
footsteps caused the feeling of recognition to be stronger.  
  
Her footsteps were now accompanied with a steady flow of tears. Her  
legs continued to pump as she watched the forest whir behind her. The  
sky was getting darker and she no longer enjoyed the sound of the  
rustling.  
  
She could see it up ahead. The first sign was a chimney that could be  
spotted just through the overhanging trees. Her tears were coming  
faster now. A sob escaped her lips and she tried to halt her legs.  
They continued to pump steadily. She already knew the route.  
  
She stumbled and fell, scraping herself badly. Though she wanted  
nothing more than to stay on the ground, her legs soon picked her up.  
They continued to carry her toward the village.  
  
Cland was motioning towards her, calling her over. His words sounded  
like a warning, but couldn't stop. Her legs carried her onward. This  
time he didn't chase after her.  
  
She broke through the brush, her tears spreading behind her. Her legs  
now held her rooted to the ground. She heard the same yell that had  
echoed throughout her dreams many times before. She saw the same face  
that had been stripped of its body so long ago. The head now floated  
above the ground, racing towards her.  
  
Her eyes found a familiar pile. The whites of her father's eyes broke  
through charred brown flesh. She choked back a sob, breaking her eyes  
from the awful sight.  
  
There was a flash of metal and a sword appeared next to the head. She  
swallowed, her eyes wide. The tears had stopped falling now. She was  
waiting. She knew this. The hands would grab her. Yue would save her.  
  
But there were no hands.  
  
The man was getting closer; he was mere inches from her. His face was  
contorted into an awful grin as the sword raised itself.  
  
She couldn't move.  
  
She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the metal cutting  
through the air as it made its downward arc. She heard the man's  
grunt. It sounded pleased. Then she heard the metal hitting metal.  
  
Her eyes flew open and took in the back of a man she knew she should  
recognize. The attacker's body had suddenly appeared, joining his head  
and holding the sword in his hand. She watched numbly as the new man  
parried the attacker's fierce blow, drew back his sword quickly, and  
slashed again. The attacker crumpled in a pile.  
  
Her savior wasn't even breathing hard. He raised himself and grabbed a  
handful of leafs. He quickly wiped his sword clean of the man's blood.  
  
His back still to her, she found herself free to move. She stepped  
forward slowly. Her movement caught his attention and he turned to  
her.  
  
His amber eyes caught her startled emerald ones. Suddenly her mind was  
working. She recalled quickly who he was.  
  
"Why are you here?" she asked wearily.  
  
He smirked and waved his hand nonchalantly. "We have Seers who can  
project an image into a person's dreams," he said, pausing to look at  
her for a minute. "Apparently neither of your guardians bothered to  
protect you from such."  
  
Her anger flared, but she restrained herself. The sword hanging limply  
at his side was a very solid reminder of how little control she had  
right now.  
  
She motioned around the destroyed village, then spoke, trying hard to  
keep her voice even. "And you're here to inspect your handiwork,  
then?"  
  
He watched her for a minute before pointing to the fallen soldier.  
"You see the 'E' embroidered on his uniform there?"  
  
She moved closer, nodding slowly when she saw the letter.  
  
"It stands for Einar, our chief advisor," he said, watching her  
closely. "I have no control over them. They are his personal guard."  
  
Sakura scowled, refusing to believe him. Her voice was skeptical. "So  
you're telling me that a prince couldn't stop his own advisor's  
guard?"  
  
Syaoran shrugged. "Not officially, no."  
  
She watched him closely, knowing it had to hurt his pride a little to  
admit it. She saw a flicker of anger before it disappeared under his  
mask.  
  
She let out a slow sigh. "Why are you here then?"  
  
He let out a small laugh, his eyes narrowed on her. "We didn't get to  
finish our talk last time."  
  
Sakura raised an eyebrow neatly. "Taunting isn't talking," she said. A  
smile crept onto her lips. "And besides, I thought we put an end to  
that anyway."  
  
Syaoran's eyes narrowed even more, anger radiating from him. His face  
suddenly broke into a smile, although it did not reach his eyes.  
  
"I came to visit you for a reason, lady."  
  
She waited patiently for him to continue.  
  
"I wanted to see where you were going," he finished finally.  
  
She snorted. "You came to spy, then?"  
  
"Different name, same meaning," he said nonchalantly.  
  
She raised an eyebrow again. "If you think I'm going to tell you where  
we're headed, you're sorely mistaken."  
  
The prince frowned. "Well. I had hoped you would have another answer  
to that," he said. As he spoke, he pulled the now clean sword free of  
its sheath and brandished it before her.  
  
"I do so hate to be mean," he said softly. His eyes were glowing  
dangerously.  
  
She watched him carefully. "If you kill me in the dream, I will just  
wake up," she said, her tone sounding bored. Inside her heart was  
thumping wildly. She could only hope it was true.  
  
The prince broke into a smirk. "I said nothing about killing you." He  
shifted his sword closer to her. "There are lots of painful things I  
can do that won't cause you to wake."  
  
She swallowed unconsciously, hating that he was scaring her. His  
laughter alerted her he was aware of the power he exercised over her  
emotions. She cursed silently.  
  
A simple plan entered her head. Now that her legs were free to move,  
she used them. She pumped them wildly, sending herself into the  
forest. She heard his grim laughter as he dove in after her. She only  
hoped she could still remember where the cliff was.  
  
She passed Cland on the way. He saw her and made an attempt to grab  
her. She dodged him easily, hoping he would be safe from the prince.  
She reprimanded herself. Of course he would be safe. He was only a  
dream.  
  
She could feel him on her heels, but she knew she had the advantage.  
She knew her way through the forest. She thanked the gods that the  
dream hadn't changed the forest.  
  
She felt his hand on her and panic gave her speed. She quickly  
regained her lead, ignoring his curses.  
  
Before long she could see it. The cliff. As a child, she had been  
warned not to come near it. The village had even placed a fence in  
front of it in an attempt to keep the children safe. Naturally the  
children gathered here often.  
  
As she neared the cliff, she caught sight of the fence. There was no  
time to climb it. The prince would surely grab her. She would have to  
jump it.  
  
She calculated it carefully. As a child, it had been above her head,  
but now it was merely to her waist. She threw her last bit of energy  
into the jump and sailed over.  
  
She heard the prince curse and halt. He had to climb.  
  
Stopping herself neatly on the very edge, she turned to face him.  
  
"Until we meet again, Prince Li."  
  
Before he could answer, she stepped backwards, watching as the black  
engulfed her.  
  
****  
  
His mother was waiting when he returned. With a motion, the Seer ran from the room. He looked wearily at his mother.  
  
"I thought you were working on breaking through Yue's magic, dear," she said. Although her voice might appear light to most, Syaoran knew better.  
  
He bowed his head, trying to maintain submission although he was really was angry. He knew she was not to blame. When he raised his head, she was watching him, still waiting for an answer.  
  
"I was trying something new," he said slowly.  
  
She watched him for another minute before leaving the room. As she got to the door, she stopped for a minute. "Einar thinks it best if you try to break through the spell."  
  
Syaoran mumbled under his breath, "And Einar is always right."  
  
Not noticing her sarcasm, the queen nodded. "He is always right."  
  
She left quickly, but not before Syaoran could notice the strange gleam in her eye.  
  
'Perhaps it is time to put an end to Einar's game. He is going too far now.'  
  
****  
  
Author's Note2: Hey! I know that this is kinda a confusing chapter, but it's important. The last scene is really important, and the whole dream thing is too. If you watch carefully, you see at first it sounds like a normal dream (strange and unconnected) but when Syaoran enters, the dream stops and it's just a backdrop pretty much. The dream meant for the soldier to kill her, but when Syaoran protected her, the dream's plan ended. And she had to jump off the cliff, because it would jolt her awake (think about when you jump off a cliff). Well, I didn't know if anyone would be confused, so here is the explanation just in case. ^-~ 


	7. Valley of Regrets

Disclaimer: It's backwards day. CLAMP is mine.  
  
Author's Note(s): Well. I'm updating this quickly, aren't I? I'm behaving like a good little author, aren't I? ^-~  
  
Has anyone played Kingdom Hearts? I just beat the game and I'm positively beaming I'm so proud. I've never beaten a video game before. I normally suck at them. Walkthroughs are a girl's best friend.  
  
Meinien: -wrathful glare- TYPOS?! LIAR! I checked. None. I was kinda surprised, actually, but yeah. NONE! -nice smile- Haha, JK!Sorry about the confusing-ness. If you need it, I reposted the last chapter along with an explanation at the end of it. Heh, I was going for kinda confusing. Lots of foreshadowing. Mmm, as for the kiss, it's not important. A village boy I'd suppose. I just wanted to give the impression of a sweet memory.  
  
Oh, and BTW, I started reading your story. I got halfway through before my mom kicked me off the computer. I love it so far! I have to finish it and leave a very nice review soon. ^-~  
  
****  
  
As they traveled, Sakura noticed the subtle change in the terrain. They had left the forest behind for rolling hills. By the third day, they could spot the distant mountains that served as a boundary between the Li Kingdom and Alexandria, Sakura's own. Though many of the men rejoiced at the sight, Sakura's face bore nothing but a frown. Despite the apparent closeness, she was all too aware the flat land made it nothing more than an illusion.  
  
By the fifth day, the men's hearts were drooping. The mountains were slowly growing closer, but at a rate that would sprout frustration in even the most patient of hearts. Sakura, who was not known for her patience, was seen frowning more often than not.  
  
Slowly the days passed. The fifth turned into the sixth and the sixth into the seventh. By the tenth day, Sakura could spot the valley. Night was falling rapidly when she called for the halt. The men made camp grimly; all were aware of the importance the next day would hold.  
  
As she was unsaddling her horse, Lanus, Keland, and Eneas approached her. Lanus reached forward and grabbed the saddle, dropping it neatly beside her as-yet-unrolled bedroll. Eneas's eyes were pinned nervously on Adara, watching the horse anxiously. Keland opened his mouth to speak.  
  
"So, milady Champion, did we make good time?"  
  
She smiled, nodding towards Eneas. "Well, being that our friend here only fell off three times, I'd say we did pretty well."  
  
Eneas's face was stained with a dark crimson as he fought to avoid her teasing eyes. Keland and Lanus snorted with laughter.  
  
A voice caught her from behind. "Not to mention milady only yelled at you nine times, Keland. A rarity indeed."  
  
Sakura turned, a smile on her lips, to face Roan, a member of the Elite who was most often to be found with the horses. His light touch made him the first candidate for soothing the audacious warhorses.  
  
He bowed to her and reached for Adara's reins, clucking lightly. Sakura let Roan pat her, jealousy biting her just a little at the fondness the mare displayed. She shoved it away quickly, in time to see Roan holding out his hand for the brush. She dropped it into his outstretched hand and watched as the man groomed her horse.  
  
"You know, we're lucky you're as good with a sword as you are with a horse otherwise you might've chosen to be a handler instead," she said thoughtfully.  
  
He smiled up at her, a teasing smile tainting his lips. "Sometimes I wonder which choice would've supplied me with better company."  
  
Keland punched him lightly on the arm, a grin surfacing.  
  
The five shared a friendly conversation before she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned, already knowing whom it was. She excused herself politely and left with Yue.  
  
"The valley isn't far from here, Sakura," he said simply once they were out of earshot of the others.  
  
"We need to know where the enemy is," she said slowly. She watched Yue carefully before putting forward her request. "Will you fly forward and report their location?"  
  
He nodded slightly and threw himself into the air, leaving Sakura alone. She noticed soon the many pairs of eyes on her. She raised a hand, calling attention to her.  
  
"Tonight the sentry duty will be more important than ever. While I might've forgiven the sleeping forms I've seen in the past, I won't forgive tonight. Neither will the enemy. I suggest, if you do not wish to wake with an arrow in your gut, you keep your eyes open on duty."  
  
Though her voice was stern, many of the Elite hid smiles behind their hands. She heard a couple murmurs of "yes, mother". Making a face, she rattled off the sentry duties, stifling a yawn. Once again, she placed herself on the last watch.  
  
'Even if I have to be a sentry, at least I can get the best time,' she thought, smiling wryly.  
  
She headed back towards the four men she had left, only to find them bidding each other goodnight. She waved politely to them and watched them walk away, each heading to their beds.  
  
Sakura bent down and began to unroll her cushion, fighting the urge to sink into its comfortable layers. She had to wait for Yue to return.  
  
She stepped forward and stroked Adara, watching the sky and letting her thoughts roam free. They soon found their way back to the occurrence that had been plaguing her mind since it had happened: the dream.  
  
'I know I should tell Yue, but I can't. He's straining himself by protecting me so much. I don't want him to waste more magic on protecting my dreams.'  
  
Though the thought sounded perfectly reasonable, she had spent most of the past nights in fear. She had used much of her own magic as an attempt to shield herself from him, but she wasn't entirely sure she was doing it correctly. Though he hadn't reappeared in her dreams, she knew she couldn't afford a mistake. The next time, he would surely find a place far from a cliff.  
  
A flurry of wings broke her from her thoughts. Guilt caused a silly smile to appear on her lips. Wiping it clean with a scowl, she turned to face Yue. His expression was masked, although she saw worry underneath.  
  
"They're not far from the valley," he said, watching her reaction carefully. He knew the decision must come from her.  
  
"Have they stopped for the night?" Her voice was sharp.  
  
"Yes, but they're far closer to it than we are," he said, his eyes never leaving her face.  
  
She cursed, turning from him.  
  
'I wanted to make sure Master Panos got some rest before we had to do this. He's not used to the hard riding, and it must've taken a toll on his magic.'  
  
She glanced over at his sleeping form. She sighed, already making up her mind.  
  
****  
  
Sakura watched as Keland, Lanus, Roan, Eneas, and a few of the other chosen Elite mounted their warhorses quietly. Master Panos was mounted beside her, his eyes intent upon her. She waited for Yue and Keroberos to join them. Once they did, Sakura gave the hand signal for them to leave.  
  
Yue flew forward, leaving Keroberos to stride next to the horses. Talos didn't even cast a second glance his direction. He had long since conquered his fear of the lion guardian.  
  
The darkness shrouded them like a warm blanket, reassuring in its own way. Sakura watched as the scenery passed beside her, eyes narrowed, trying to make out the landmarks they were working by. In a quiet flurry of wings, Yue joined her.  
  
To any outside the mistress and her guardians it appeared that Yue was hovering next to Talos, staring at Sakura. Only the three could hear his words in her head.  
  
"There is a small troop positioned on this side of the valley, undoubtedly to protect it from being closed up. Though they are a small number, they don't seem to expect a fight tonight. They are not very vigilant."  
  
She had expected this. The army consisted of many supply wagons and could not move as fast as a small troop could. They had sent the troop as a protection not only of the valley, but of the army. Sakura made her mind up quickly, her face set. "We must get past them and seal up the valley."  
  
When Yue nodded, she turned and spoke for the first time to her men. She didn't bother to count them, she knew there were fifteen with her, eighteen counting herself and the guardians. She knew the odds weren't in their favor, but perhaps surprise would help to even it out.  
  
"There is a small troop of enemy soldiers about a mile ahead. We must get through them if we are to close the valley," she said shortly, hoping no one would ask the question she was expecting. Eneas did.  
  
"How many, milady?" His voice was apologetic.  
  
She breathed a sigh, noting the way her men leaned forward in their saddles. "Yue?"  
  
Yue's face was carefully blank as he answered. "About twenty five."  
  
A few of the men cursed; most grinned. Sakura's eyes narrowed. "This is not a simple battle, boys. We've got to beat them, and beat them fast. We can't have the rest of the army wake and attack us before we plug it up."  
  
Immediately the grins fell from their faces and they nodded again, looking slightly bashful. She motioned forward and they set off again. Master Panos rode beside her, waiting for her to address him. She did so in a whisper.  
  
"You must hang back. I won't have you hurt," she said simply, keeping her voice cold and commanding. When he opened his mouth to argue, she continued on, letting her voice take on a threatening air. "Do what you can from afar, but if I see you joining the fighting ranks, I will personally throw you into the dungeons upon our return."  
  
He shut his mouth quickly and gave a weak smile. She fought to hide her wild grin as he fell back. She heard Kero's laughter in her head.  
  
"Who knew sweet little Sakura could be so scary?"  
  
She frowned at him. "Don't make me tell the cooks you're on a diet."  
  
His eyes widened and he dropped the mind connection, muttering something about evil children.  
  
****  
  
Her eyes caught movement up ahead. She threw her hand up, motioning for her men to halt. She could only pray they would see it. She breathed out a sigh of relief when they did.  
  
She motioned to Yue. He was beside her in a moment. "How many sentries, Yue?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Three up ahead, two on the left and two on the right. No one guards the rear," he answered quickly.  
  
'Of course they don't. They have a whole army at their backs,' she thought ruefully.  
  
She nodded and motioned for her best archers. They stood next to Yue, eyes glinting in the darkness. Each held their bow and a full quiver of arrows in their hands. She nodded and repeated Yue's words. She watched as they disappeared from view. She heard the sound of the air as it was disturbed by the arrow's flight. The sound was accompanied by a heavy thud.  
  
She motioned her hand again and the Elite rode forward. Their horses stepped over the fallen bodies carefully. Soon the camp came into view.  
  
The archers mounted their horses again, waiting for her. She called for bows, keeping her voice soft. Each of the Elite responded in seconds, drawing the strings back.  
  
Pulling her sword from her sheath, she took a deep breath before breaking the silence with a bellow. "NOW!"  
  
****  
  
It was like throwing a rock into a lake. Once the surface is disturbed, the ripples begin to get louder and louder. So the sound followed its course until Sakura thought the war sounds would be heard all the way to the Li's palace.  
  
She spurred Talos forward, leading the charge. Many of the men were running from their tents, clearly surprised to find themselves attacked. Sakura dropped her sword down, neatly parting the first man's head from his body. She heard a scream as Talos trampled a man and winced.  
  
She pulled her sword free from the first man and swung it into a second, leaving a large gash above his stomach. She hit him a second time, slitting his throat. He collapsed in a pile and she turned for her third victim.  
  
She gasped as pain erupted in her leg. She whirled her sword around, striking the man roughly on his shoulder before he could strike again. More hands fought to pull her from the saddle. She kicked her legs to force them back. She winced as her injured one reminded her it was injured.  
  
Sakura grabbed on just in time as Talos reared up, crushing two more under his mighty hooves. Sakura swung her sword at a man to her right. He pulled his axe up in time to block her sword. He pulled apart quickly, darting in to hit her ribs. She brought her sword down hastily, protecting herself at the last moment. This time she freed her weapon first, swinging it in a downward arc. He rolled to the side just in time and Sakura cursed as he backed away, waiting for her to attack him.  
  
She didn't want to turn Talos toward him; the man might attack her horse. She threw herself angrily from the saddle before remembering her injured leg. It gave out beneath her and she collapsed weakly. Pushing herself up quickly, she rolled to avoid the man's heavy blow. She watched as it hit the ground instead and broke through the dirt. It was mere inches from when she had been a moment before. She threw herself to her feet, ignoring the pain from the injured on. As long as it held her up, it could hurt all it wanted.  
  
Her eyes took in the man's shirt and she recognized the badge announcing him to be the commander.  
  
'At least he's a worth opponent,' she thought wryly. 'Not that that makes me feel any less stupid.'  
  
'You should've beaten him already,' quipped a voice. She shrugged it off, knowing it to be Yue's. If he was there, why didn't he help her?  
  
'Because you would kill him if he did,' she answered herself.  
  
The man threw himself forward, swinging his axe down. Sakura raised her sword quickly. The force of the blow jolted her senses and her ears rang. She scowled and disentangled her sword from the man's axe. She stepped forward, feinting left before hitting his right side. She pulled her sword out and swung it once more, cutting his stomach. The man crumpled in a heap.  
  
She turned quickly, sword drawn, to greet the next opponent. To her relief, there was no one there. She caught Yue watching from nearby and ignored the disapproval written in his features.  
  
She watched as the Elite finished their own smaller battles. She saw three bodies of men she recognized, but it was a small number for such great odds. To her left, there was a raised section of earth, shaped much like a wall. She smiled, recognizing Master Panos's work. She assumed he had shielded an Elite, giving them enough time to recover. Reminding herself to thank him later, she mounted Talos quickly, riding to the other men. By the time she got there, the rest of the enemy had surrendered.  
  
The enemy were roughly tied and gagged to trees, to await their return. Not wanting to waste anymore time, she waved them towards their horses. The Elite threw themselves onto their mounts, some more gracefully than others. They set off at a trot to the top of the valley.  
  
Master Panos was now beside her. She felt his eyes on her leg and hurried to shift his attention elsewhere. She didn't want him to worry about her.  
  
"Will those rocks up there be enough?"  
  
He frowned, looking to see the pile she was talking about. He nodded. "Yes, those will be fine," he said. He turned to her, his frown deepening with worry. "Are you sure you don't need to--"  
  
She opened her mouth to cut him off, but Yue was already speaking. "The army is approaching, Sakura," he said in a monotone. His gaze flickered to her wound. Master Panos's eyes widened as he saw the wound close up.  
  
Without another word, Yue flew off again, presumably checking for the army's position.  
  
Once they were close enough, Sakura dropped from the saddle, throwing her reins toward Roan. He caught them and grabbed Master Panos's reins as well. The two mages raced forward, each calling upon their magic and summoning the rocks.  
  
Many of the Elite hung back, watching the two in wonder as the rocks pulled themselves from their piles and began moving in an orderly line towards the top of the valley.  
  
Sakura settled her rocks down neatly, laying the foundation. Master Panos dropped his load atop hers and called for the ground to hold them in place. The two were working so hard it took Yue three tries to get his mistress's attention.  
  
"Sakura," he said, bellowing in her thoughts. She yelped and dropped the rocks before she could position them. Motioning for Panos to continue, she listened to her guardian.  
  
"They are less than a mile away, Sakura," he said simply. He didn't apologize for scaring her.  
  
She cursed. It would be hard to finish that quickly. They needed a distraction.  
  
"Yue, please bring me my saddlebag," she said simply. He returned within minutes.  
  
She grabbed it from his hand and fumbled inside it for a few moments before finally grasping them. She rustled through them, finally grasping the Card she wanted. She grabbed the pendant from her neck and wrenched it off, speaking the incantation hurriedly.  
  
[Pardon me, I hate to use anything from the American version, but as I speak no other language, pero espanol, I'll have to ^-^;]  
  
'Key of Clow  
  
Power of Magic  
  
Power of Light  
  
Surrender the Wand  
  
The Force Ignite  
  
Release!'  
  
As everyone watched, the pendant grew into a rod. Wasting no time, Sakura grabbed the card and flung it forward, striking it with the tip of her staff.  
  
"Mist! Spread yourself on the other side of the boulders. Corrode their armor!" She grabbed another one quickly and threw it up. "Illusion! Block the enemy from seeing us!"  
  
The cards both smiled and nodded before leaving. Sakura watched as they disappeared over the horizon before finally reaching for her third card. She fumbles through the stack, searching for Earthy, the card she had avoided using.  
  
'I just wanted to prove I could handle something without the Cards for once,' she thought sadly. She had mastered her magic so she could use it without being so dependent on the cards. Though many of the people acknowledged her as the Champion, many of the conservatives liked to point out that, should her cards be stolen, she would be no good. She had spent a long time trying to distance herself from them.  
  
'And yet I still have to use them to get anything done,' she thought angrily.  
  
Pushing her self-pitying thoughts away, she put her full attention on the Cards in her hand.  
  
'The Shield,' she read absently. Then she frowned. She'd already been past that one. Hurrying now, she went through all of the Cards before she went numb. She grabbed for her saddlebag, wrenching it open and dumping out all the contents. She felt her blood drain.  
  
'I left the Earthy behind.'  
  
****  
  
Author's Note2: Okay, re-did the last scene. If you read it before, yes, I meant to put mist in. I wanted her to corrode stuff. The mistake was that I forgot to put Illusion in. 


	8. The Bronze Bracelet

Disclaimer: Don't own CCS.  
  
Author's note(s): Okay, to start off with, I've worked really hard on this chapter. . . so if anyone says it stinks, I'm really gonna be unhappy. -swings Syaoran's sword threateningly-  
  
DEDICATED TO: Iris-for giving me the inspiration to write this chapter. Without you, I really have no idea what would happen this chapter. Thanks Nunu!  
  
****  
  
SPECIAL NOTE- I DID change something from last chapter. My mistake was NOT putting the Mist (yes, I DID mean to corrode their armor). My mistake was that I forgot to call Illusion. I'm attaching part of the last scene in this chapter if you'd like to see.  
  
****  
  
She cursed. It would be hard to finish that quickly. They needed a distraction.  
  
"Yue, please bring me my saddlebag," she said simply. He returned within minutes.  
  
She grabbed it from his hand and fumbled inside it for a few moments before finally grasping them. She rustled through them, finally grasping the Card she wanted. She grabbed the pendant from her neck and wrenched it off, speaking the incantation hurriedly.  
  
'Key of Clow  
  
Power of Magic  
  
Power of Light  
  
Surrender the Wand  
  
The Force Ignite  
  
Release!'  
  
As everyone watched, the pendant grew into a rod. Wasting no time, Sakura grabbed the card and flung it forward, striking it with the tip of her staff.  
  
"Mist! Spread yourself on the other side of the boulders. Weaken their armor!" She grabbed another one quickly and threw it up. "Illusion! Block the enemy from seeing us!"  
  
The cards both smiled and nodded before leaving. Sakura watched as they disappeared over the horizon before finally reaching for her third card. She fumbles through the stack, searching for Earthy, the card she had avoided using.  
  
'I just wanted to prove I could handle something without the Cards for once,' she thought sadly. She had mastered her magic so she could use it without being so dependent on the cards. Though many of the people acknowledged her as the Champion, many of the conservatives liked to point out that, should her cards be stolen, she would be no good. She had spent a long time trying to distance herself from them.  
  
'And yet I still have to use them to get anything done,' she thought angrily.  
  
Pushing her self-pitying thoughts away, she put her full attention on the Cards in her hand.  
  
'The Shield,' she read absently. Then she frowned. She'd already been past that one. Hurrying now, she went through all of the Cards before she went numb. She grabbed for her saddlebag, wrenching it open and dumping out all the contents. She felt her blood drain.  
  
'I left the Earthy behind.'  
  
****  
  
She pictured herself using it to help the gardener last week.  
  
'Then I was called away, and I. . . I. . . left it in my desk.'  
  
It took all her strength not to start hitting her head with her fist. All the self-loathing she had pushed away moments before suddenly rose again. She pushed them away again, angrily now. She needed to concentrate.  
  
She spared a glance at Master Panos. The rock-wall was halfway done, but he'd need more time.  
  
She could hear the enemy's cries as they realized their armor was being corroded. Unfortunately, however, they could also hear the sound of the rocks moving. The illusion was useless. Something had to be done now. They were getting too close.  
  
'We don't have enough men to take on an entire army. I only took enough to guarantee a safe retreat. But we can't leave now. We need this to be closed up. We need time to gather our armies,' she thought fiercely, almost as though she was debating.  
  
'All I need is to slow them down a little,' she thought, casting around for any ideas. 'But if I take any of the Elite to the other side of the wall, we'll be separated from the rest of the group. With no one but the enemy army. I don't really want to be dogfood.'  
  
She forced herself to concentrate, ignoring the looks she was getting from the Elite and her guardians. There had to be a way out of this.  
  
'I may not have Earthy, but I still have my other Cards. If I was on that side, I could use them better.'  
  
Making up her mind, she shouted her commands. There was no need for further stealth, so she let the wind carry her words to the Elite.  
  
"Bring the rocks to Master Panos! Start piling them high so all he has to do it fit them together. Prepare for a swift retreat once it is done!"  
  
The men jumped to follow her command. She didn't bother to watch; instead, she pulled a fourth card from her stack. The Fly.  
  
Raising her wand, she hit the tip on the card, watching as her wand grew wings. Without wasting another minute, she launched herself onto the wand's back.  
  
She flew over the rock-wall, ignoring her men's calls. She heard wings behind her and called, "What do you want, Yue?"  
  
Keroberos answered, his voice alight with fury. "Are you trying to get yourself killed, Sakura?!"  
  
She frowned, but continued to fly. Suddenly her two guardians flew in front of her, stopping her short. Instead of ducking down, she spoke quickly. "I'm just going to hold them off. I need to be on this side to work the Cards."  
  
Not waiting for an answer, she made the wand dive down. It hovered just above the ground and Sakura stepped off lightly. She recalled the Fly and the Mist, wanting to preserve her magic.  
  
As she stood, she looked through her Cards again. Though she was on the other side of the wall, she still hadn't a true idea of what to do. None of the cards sent any revelations through her.  
  
She could hear the army's shouts even clearer now.  
  
"They're right below us," whispered Yue, pointing out movement. She watched as slowly they became more clear.  
  
She pulled out the Shield to block their arrows, still looking for inspiration. The army was getting closer now.  
  
She felt a sudden tug in her magic and realized the Illusion was still out. Numbly, she started to call it back when, as the cliché goes, a light bulb went off.  
  
****  
  
Syaoran bit his lip in concentration. He sent a small spiral of magic forward delicately. He didn't dare breath for fear of ruining the spell.  
  
He was releasing a second spiral when the door slammed. Surprised, he released more than he'd meant to. The spell backfired, hitting him squarely in the nose. With a curse, he turned to confront Einar.  
  
"Never enter this room when I'm working on a spell!" he yelled angrily.  
  
The advisor blinked and stepped away from Syaoran's towering figure. Timidly, he spoke, "A spell, highness?"  
  
Syaoran snarled. "A spell to get past Yue's shield. And I would've had it if you hadn't come blundering in here."  
  
The prince noticed Einar's thoughtful look and smirked. "I haven't gotten to reading any of your reports yet. You can breathe easily."  
  
The man smiled feebly. "It wasn't that, highness. I've no fear of you reading my reports." Then, with a nervous laugh, he added, "It's not as though I've anything to hide."  
  
Syaoran raised an eyebrow, but didn't press the subject. "I assume you interrupted me for a reason, Einar?"  
  
He straightened, suddenly, and blurted out, "The advancing army reported there was an enemy army waiting for them at the Misten Valley."  
  
Syaoran's eyes widened. "When?"  
  
"Just moments ago, highness," answered the advisor quickly.  
  
With a short puff of green, Syaoran vanished.  
  
A grin surfaced on his face immediately after the prince had departed. He turned and strode through the door, grabbing a servant girl roughly as she passed. He watched with amusement as she shrank into a clumsy curtsy.  
  
"Girl, have you seen the queen?" he asked, voice rough.  
  
She mumbled a polite no, looking very hesitant.  
  
With a frown, he reached into his pocket and removed a vial. Inside was a clear liquid, though there were chunks of dark magic swirling around.  
  
He grabbed the girl's small hand and pressed it inside quickly, casting a sly look around the corridor.  
  
"This is for Venga, in the servant's wing. She's a person servant of the queen. I need you to give it to her right now," he said, his voice low.  
  
Her eyes widened in fear as they shot to Einar, then to vial, and back. The advisor waited, watching her carefully.  
  
Collapsing under his attentive gaze, she sank into the same clumsy curtsy and raced off, now heading in the direction of Venga's apartments.  
  
"All will come together soon my love," he said aloud, knowing she heard him.  
  
With a minute puff of black, he too disappeared.  
  
****  
  
"Illusion, become a large army," she said softly, hoping the army wouldn't hear her.  
  
She heard Keroberos give a proud snort. She knew the card had obeyed her from the sudden halt in the advancing army. She heard loud yells, presumably from the commanders, and watched as they got into orderly rows.  
  
She was just adding more power to her Shield when she heard a whisper behind her.  
  
"That's not going to work, lady."  
  
She whirled around, bringing her sword up swiftly. There was no one there. She growled in frustration, remembering this trick. This time, however, it was not Syaoran's voice. This voice had been decidedly female.  
  
Feeling slightly crazy, but very hopeful, she spoke up. Her voice remained firm, untouched by her uncertainty. "And just why not, lady who must hide her body?"  
  
The laugh came from behind again. She turned quickly, a second time, to face her foe. This time a body appeared. Her eyes widened as she took in the figure's dark look.  
  
The woman was only slightly taller than Sakura, though the way she held herself made the champion feel like an ant. She wore a large blue robe that shadowed her face. Somehow Sakura could see the sapphire eyes. Only a small strand of her dark hair flickered in the wind.  
  
Peeling her eyes from the great woman, she realized she was speaking.  
  
"It will not work, lady, because it is just an illusion. If, say, another sorcerer, or sorceress," she added with a light chuckle, "came along and. . . stopped your illusion," she paused, sweeping her hand through the air carelessly. Sakura watched as Illusion vanished and the form returned to her card. "You would be perfectly helpless, wouldn't you?"  
  
The amusement in her sapphire pools was evident. Sakura gaped at her, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The woman let out another laugh.  
  
A storm of wings shook her back to the present. Two bodies pressed themselves near hers protectively.  
  
The woman's eyes washed over the two guardians, taking in every inch of them. While Keroberos growled angrily, Yue remained quiet, meeting her eyes without a trace of fear. It was hard to decide which was more dangerous at the moment.  
  
Her amused expression did not waver. With a graceful curtsy, she disappeared.  
  
'I need to learn how to do that.'  
  
The noise from the army brought her back to the present. They were approaching faster now after discovering the illusion. Within minutes they would be upon her. She turned and examined the rock wall. It was almost finished, but they would need more time.  
  
Suddenly, a thought struck her.  
  
"If there are other sorcerers around here, what'll prevent them from just destroying it after we've finished building it?"  
  
This thought met with desperation. Keroberos, however, heard it.  
  
"Sakura, worry about the army racing up here with their weapons. Let your guardians worry about protecting the work you're about to sacrifice your life for," he said, his powerful voice seemingly echoing in her mind.  
  
She felt Yue's cold, probing gaze.  
  
Her eyes swept upon the invading army, their figures becoming clearer as they raced to meet her. Cold dread broke into her thoughts, but she could think of nothing else to do. Somehow she knew her Cards would be useless now.  
  
Shifting her weapons to a more convenient position, she stretched, her eyes never leaving the enemy. When she spoke, her voice was firm.  
  
"Protect it then," she said suddenly. They stared at her with disbelief.  
  
"What?" bellowed Keroberos.  
  
"You heard me. I won't have that wall torn down," she said simply, her eyes still averted.  
  
"You think we're going to leave you to an entire army?! Don't fool yourself, Sakura, you're good, but-"  
  
The sun guardian's angry speech was interrupted by his painful yowl. Yue removed his foot from the lion's rips, pulling him towards the wall, muttering something about giving her a chance.  
  
Only when they were not there did she breathe a sigh of relief. As the first head got closer, she fingered the Fly card apprehensively. If she were to escape, she would need it.  
  
With a deep sigh, she raised her sword, ready at last to meet the enemy soldier.  
  
A cold voice behind her jarred her.  
  
"You're crazy."  
  
Resisting the urge to whirl around, she clenched her teeth.  
  
"Why do you always talk to me in the middle of a fight?"  
  
Her arm was poised, ready for the kill, when she realized the approaching soldier had halted. The men behind him were still as well, their eyes fixed on something behind her.  
  
Readjusting the sword, she swung around to face him.  
  
"What do you want Syao-"  
  
Her words were cut short when he lunged for her. She tried to bring her sword up in time, but it was too late. His arms caught her around the waist, pulling her tightly against his chest.  
  
She struggled in his grasp until she felt something that shook her. Her body was suddenly. . . flying. As her feet left the ground unwillingly, she grabbed desperately on Syaoran, hardly noticing when he tightened his hold on her.  
  
She closed her eyes, trying to block out the strange feeling going through her body. Her body had gone from a sensation of light flying to one of being hurled roughly around. She forgot the sword hanging limply at her side, forgot her need to pull away from him. He was the only thing solid right now.  
  
And then it stopped. She felt her body come to halt. Something in her was afraid to move- as though her moving would make it happen again. Fearfully, she just clung to him.  
  
She felt him lightly disentangling her hand from his shirt. He leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear, his voice almost kind, "I guess you don't like teleporting, then?"  
  
Her eyes flew open and she jumped back from him. Her eyes widened as she examined her surroundings. Instead of the valley, she was now in a small room. A large oak bed took up the majority of the space, but there were two tables and a chair surrounding it. She saw a wardrobe in the middle with an ancient-looking sword propped up against it.  
  
She remembered her sword and looked down. She felt the blood drain from her as she realized it was gone.  
  
A light cluck brought her attention to the amber-eyed man across from her. He raised her sword, brandishing it.  
  
"Looking for this?"  
  
The only answer he received was her gaping at him.  
  
He let out another light chuckle, though not as taunting as it was most of the time. "You didn't notice me take it, I assume?"  
  
Sakura was ashamed. She had let the enemy take her weapon right out of her hand because she was afraid of teleporting. Pathetic.  
  
'Perhaps what those conservatives say is true,' she thought. 'Maybe I am useless with my Cards. I certainly haven't proven otherwise today.'  
  
"Give it back," she said, her voice firm.  
  
He smirked. "Come get it." As though to back his words, he held the sword towards her, hilt out.  
  
She quickly grabbed a knife from her side, aiming it at him threateningly. When he didn't react, she slowly began walking forward to reclaim her sword.  
  
Because the room was so small, she was there in moments. She tentatively reached her hand out for the hilt. Her fingers were just closing on it when his free hand lashed out.  
  
Her hand flew up with the knife, slashing as his hand made to grab her wrist. He used the blade from her sword as a handle and the hilt as a weapon, hitting the dangerous hand on its wrist. With a cry of pain, she dropped the knife.  
  
Acting quickly, he grabbed the uninjured wrist and slid a copper bracelet on it. Before she could wrench her hand free, it was on.  
  
Snarling, she grabbed the knife from the floor, placing it in her uninjured hand. In her anger, she ignored the bracelet. The knife slashed close to him, yet he made no move to stop it. He stood there, eyes intent upon her.  
  
Not seeing this, she brought the knife to his chest.  
  
The sound of metal snapping interrupted her triumph.  
  
Sakura looked at her hand, bewilderment taking over her features. Instead of the knife, she now held a worthless hilt. Two pieces of metal were near his feet.  
  
Suddenly her forehead screamed with pain. She collapsed to the floor on her knees, tears she didn't know she was crying escaping her eyes.  
  
Her vision went red, and she closed her eyes in an attempt to help them. Her nose was burning, though she didn't smell anything. She couldn't think clearly; all her thoughts were concentrated on the awful pain.  
  
Just when she'd started praying for death, she felt two strong hands on her shoulders and the pain was gone as suddenly as it had come.  
  
After a few minutes, she forced her eyes open, hoping it wouldn't be red this time. Amber eyes swam into vision. She noticed a trace of worry before they went blank again.  
  
He removed a hand, lightly fingering the bracelet.  
  
"This thing serves two purposes. The first serves as a restriction on your movement. As long as you have this on, you cannot leave the palace walls. The second, as you've become familiar with, is a restriction that will keep you from hurting anyone inside these walls. Should you try to attack someone, not only will the attack miss, but you will also feel some pain."  
  
She couldn't stop staring at him through his entire speech. She lowered her gaze now, gently wiping away the tears from her eyes. She still felt traces of pain, though it was bearable now.  
  
Her eyes hooked on the bronze bracelet. It was pretty enough, indeed. The kind of bracelet many noble lords bestowed upon their sweethearts. Any woman who received one would talk of it, and nothing else, for days.  
  
She hated it.  
  
Her fury awoke with a heat and she looked up at him angrily. "I'm not staying here."  
  
He backed off, his smirk reforming and all traces of worry vanishing. "You don't have much of a choice."  
  
She snarled, fingering the bracelet desperately. He laughed.  
  
"You won't get it off."  
  
She stopped clawing at it, fixing him with a glare to rival his own. "And what, pray tell, are you going to do with me?"  
  
He shrugged, his eyes never leaving her face. "You're the champion of Alexandria, the country we're at war with. I'm sure that brain's just buzzing with information." Pausing, he continued lightly, "And, if nothing else, it's always nice to torment you."  
  
She turned away, reaching the door in a few rapid steps. One hand swung the door open and she stepped over the threshold. He grabbed her free hand, pulling her back inside and closing the door.  
  
"There will be plenty of time to test the power later," he said. Looking at her for another minute, he added, "You'll need somewhere to sleep. I'll find you a guest room near mine, Sakura."  
  
She wrenched her hand free. "I don't want to be anywhere near you."  
  
He smiled. "Well, as you're in my castle, I don't see you having much choice."  
  
He turned and strode through a side door, pulling her along with him. Tired, she let herself be pulled. The door opened into another bedroom. From the dust on the furnishings, she guessed it wasn't used often.  
  
A heavy blue blanket covered the bed. Two fluffy-looking pillows dented the smooth surface. A large maple wardrobe stood next to another door, connected to a small dressing room. A large chair was in the middle of the room, a short table placed in front of it. Sakura's eyes immediately fell on a third door, presumably open to the hallway.  
  
"What, no dungeon?" she taunted.  
  
He looked back at her, his smirk taunting in return. "There's no need as long as you have that bracelet on. You're as weak as a kitten."  
  
Following her gaze, he noticed the door. He carelessly waved a hand at it. Sakura could feel the metal locking. She cursed, but managed to mutter a response.  
  
"Even kittens have claws."  
  
He raised an eyebrow before reaching toward her. She stumbled back, but he caught her close. She tried to struggle from his grasp, but any attempt to punch him bought her a bolt of pain.  
  
He placed a hand on her forehead and she gasped when she felt the green tendril of magic break from his fingertips. In seconds it had settled in her mind.  
  
'Sleep now, cherry blossom,' it said, it's voice soothing. She felt her eyelids get heavy.  
  
"No," she said, fighting weakly.  
  
The day's events and night's lack of sleep joined forces with the voice, trying to overpower her will. Within seconds, her will had surrendered. Her vision went black.  
  
****  
  
He looked at her for a minute before placing her carefully onto the bed. He took her shoes from her feet and carefully removed her weapons. Though she couldn't use them, he felt much safer with them in his hand.  
  
'She may be pathetic sometimes, but she can be pretty decent when angered.'  
  
His hands found a large rectangular sheath. Puzzling over the shape, he stuck his hand inside. His fingers closed around a stack of her Cards.  
  
The door burst open and Syaoran whirled, his hand on the hilt of his sword. He dropped the Cards back onto the bed.  
  
A frown appeared on his features when he realized who it was.  
  
"What do you want, Einar?"  
  
"Highness, her majesty is sick. She's requesting your presence at once," he said breathlessly, as though he'd been running.  
  
He looked up quickly, eyes narrowed. "Sick?"  
  
"It doesn't appear life-threatening. Just enough to make her uncomfortable."  
  
He growled and jumped to his feet. As he passed Einar, he stopped, his voice low. "Why is she sick? Did you give her too much of your brain- controlling magic?"  
  
Before the advisor could answer, the prince took off down the hall. Einar watched as he went, his face contorting into an awful expression. Remembering himself in a moment, he hurried in the room, closing the door behind him.  
  
"It's okay, love. Coast's clear."  
  
A sapphire-robed woman appeared in the corner. With a smile to Einar, she crossed to the unconscious figure. Bending over the champion, she quickly retrieved the Cards.  
  
With a barking laugh, she pulled a small black bag from the deep pockets. Carefully, she dropped the Cards in the bag. The top closed by itself.  
  
"What is that, love? A new trick?" asked the breathless Einar.  
  
She turned to him, holding it up. "No, sweet. It's a very old trick." With a glance at Sakura, she added, "We can't have the girl using her Cards, now can we? It wouldn't be beneficent for our cause."  
  
Einar let out a laugh. He moved closer and put an arm around her shoulder.  
  
"At least the prince fetched her for us," he said, his eyes still on the sleeping form. "It should make this much easier."  
  
****  
  
Author's Note 2: Ooh, I do so love writing evil scenes. Well. Isn't this a fun turn of events? ^_^ Umm, this took a LONG time to write. I'm talking a LONG time. So you guys better show your appreciation. ^-~  
  
Again, sorry for the typos. If you are dead-set on getting a typo free version, I always submit it a second time the day after (After my wonderful proofreader has looked over it). Thanks Mini Star! 


	9. Sacrifices

Disclaimer: Been a long time since I tried to make a funny disclaimer. Pssh, I'll try next time. As usual, it's not mine.  
  
Author's note(s): Heh heh. . . No need to hit me. . . I'm a good author. . . ^-^;; And I'm updating. . . aren't you happy?  
  
Winged Guardian- Pssh, as though I don't get enough of your evilness in my emails, now you're reviewing to my story? I might have to start wearing a raincoat all the time. ^-~ All sillyness aside, thanks for reading, I'm glad you liked it. You're always welcome. . . as long as you leave the tomatoes home. ^_^  
  
****  
  
A groan escaped her lips; she didn't bother trying to sit up. Now that she was awake, every part of her body rushed to welcome her-with aches. Another groan escaped her.  
  
"Sometimes I wish I could ask Yue to go easier on me," she muttered drowsily.  
  
The flood of memories rushed back to her and she gasped. Her eyes flew open, taking in the guest room she had been deposited in last night. She growled when she remembered how easily he had put her to sleep.  
  
"Why is it every time I see the prince of pompous I always wake up with my body screaming in pain?"  
  
She pushed aside the memories and concentrated instead on using her muscles. Lightly, she lifted her right hand and planted it closer to her head. She then slowly began to use it for leverage. Though a few muscles responded violently to the sudden movement, she was happy to find the pain was mostly just leftover from the day before.  
  
She managed to struggle into a seated position before she rested. After taking a few deep breaths, she lowered her feet to the ground. Bracing herself, she placed her weight on her legs.  
  
Her head went reeling and she grabbed the side of the bed to brace herself. She spared a glance at the little bronze piece that was causing her so much trouble.  
  
'I wonder if it lets me use magic,' she mused silently. 'There's only one way to test it.'  
  
She drew a tiny spiral from inside of her and watched as it blackened a tiny corner of the blanket. She waited but felt no pain. With a sigh of relief, she drew more magic and spread it around herself; within seconds most her muscles had relaxed. Thanking her magic, she rounded the unused bit back inside of her.  
  
Moments like this made her thankful she had magic.  
  
She now began testing her muscles. Quickly she passed through the simple stretches, making sure the magic had healed them. Once these were done, she reached for her sword, intent upon practicing, when she realized her weapons were gone.  
  
Her blood boiling, she set about, searching the room with anger. She flung the wardrobe's contents onto the floor and overturned the chairs. Fury filling her when she found nothing, she raced to the door that connected her room to Syaoran's. It was locked.  
  
She sent a large bolt of magic at the lock, carefully ignoring how scorched the knob looked. Turning, she sent the door flying off its hinges with a kick. Doing so sent her staggering, but she righted herself hurriedly and raced into his room.  
  
Soon his room was in the same state as hers. Unfortunately, her search was just as futile as it had been in her room. She cursed and threw a couple things before a thought suddenly entered her head. She felt her blood drain, leaving behind only fear.  
  
Her fingers flew to her belt, fighting to get the rectangular flap open. Once it was finally opened, she threw her hand in, groping for her Cards. When they met with nothing, she felt the air from her lungs drain out. She collapsed onto the floor, her head in her hands.  
  
'I'm stuck in an enemy country with something that keeps me from both running away and hitting people. I have no weapons; my cards are gone. And I'm practically roommates with my biggest enemy.'  
  
The realization numbed her senses. What could she do?  
  
Sakura let herself slip into a sort of trance. Her mind heaved a contented sigh, happy to leave behind all the awful thoughts that had been plaguing her for years. It had been long since she had just. . .given up. And her mind needed the rest.  
  
She was perfectly still, perfectly happy.  
  
'She's just a girl, highness. What can she do?' broke in a thought.  
  
Sakura ignored it. The voice wasn't loud; her brain overpowered it. She sank back into the carefree trance.  
  
'She can do it. The Seer said she would be able to do it,' answered a familiar voice. This voice was louder; it triggered emotion within her. Still the ignored it.  
  
'I believe in her,' yelled another voice, this time angry. Recognition dawned upon her-Kero. Her brain worked hard to push it back. The trance still clutched her.  
  
A last bit threw her from the trance. 'As do I,' came the voice, tinted somehow with the moon.  
  
She pushed herself from the floor, surprised. She hadn't let herself shut down like that in years. She was a bit shaken to find her resolve so easily overcome. She chalked it up to exhaustion, not feeling the bit of sapphire magic that was embedded into her shirt.  
  
****  
  
Einar choked back a cough when he saw the girl stand up.  
  
"B-but Lisha! Why isn't she still in a trance?"  
  
The sapphire-eyed woman leaned closer to the image swimming in the mirror. She sighed when she saw he was right; she had beaten back the trance.  
  
A frown took over her features, but she wasn't too surprised. She had left the magic on her clothes as a test; she had not expected her to allow her body to shut down on the very first day.  
  
'No, the magic will have time to work,' she mused. 'Her mind cannot continue to save her. Soon she will be too tired to keep herself awake.'  
  
She waved a hand at the mirror and it vanished.  
  
When Einar looked up with surprise, she smiled. "Do not worry about her health, love. I will take care of her," she said, pulling a black bag from her robe before dropping it into his lap. "These cannot stay here. She will be able to track them. You must get rid of them."  
  
The advisor nodded, accepting the assignment easily. He raised his gaze to meet her own and smiled wearily. "The queen will recover within the week."  
  
Lisha nodded. "A week should be long enough to take care of Sakura. Syaoran will be too busy worrying over his mother to notice as his enemy loses everything."  
  
Her voice was matter-of-fact. She felt no regret in taking all the things Sakura valued-her Cards, her freedom, even her mind. The girl was Champion of Alexandria. Marked by the Grand Seer's words. She was now the only one left who could stop her from killing the king.  
  
'The king,' she thought, disgusted. 'He does not deserve to be alive. Not after what he did to me.'  
  
The advisor coughed, gaining her attention. She smiled weakly at him before reaching into her robes and pulling out a vial.  
  
She tossed it to Einar, who caught it without surprise. He had already delivered one of her vials to the queen. While this one might serve a different purpose, he already knew who would be receiving it.  
  
"Make sure the girl gets a glass of it every night, Einar. She must fall if I am to win."  
  
Einar nodded, watching as she disappeared. His rooms now empty, he let out a sigh. Things were so close.  
  
****  
  
After gulping down a glass of water, Sakura had let herself fall back on her bed. She'd long ago given up finding anything; it would not be found until Syaoran let her find it.  
  
She couldn't help feeling helpless. She still had no idea what had happened at the pass although she doubted the Elite had succeeded. She carefully avoided thinking about the massacre that must've occurred. She could only pray they had gotten a safe retreat.  
  
'Now is the time they need me the most,' she realized bitterly. 'I am the Champion and I was kidnapped in the middle of a war.'  
  
She was still lying on her bed when she realized something.  
  
'The bracelet only keeps me within the castle walls,' she thought rapidly, sitting up even as she thought. 'If I can break through the locks, I can get of the room.'  
  
Smiling, she crossed the floor to the door Syaoran had locked the night before. She tried unlocking it with careful accuracy, only to have it backfire. Angry, she threw a large bolt at it. The reaction was the same as the first lock.  
  
It would not do to bust her door down. Too much attention would be drawn to her. Grinning widely, she grabbed a piece of fabric off the bed. After binding her hand, she used it to grasp the burning hot handle. The heat was still strong; she bit her lip in concentration. Quickly, she turned the handle and pulled the door backwards.  
  
She let the fabric drop, stepping through the door eagerly.  
  
The hallway was empty. She chastised herself for expecting trumpets to announce her newly found freedom.  
  
Hurrying, she stumbled down the corridor. She continued down the hall, following its many twist and turns. Her legs were feeling weak, but she simply poured more magic into them.  
  
She had no idea where she was going, but she knew she had to test the bracelet again. She needed to test the boundaries he had set.  
  
'He may not have lied about the physical pain, but perhaps he's lying about me being confined,' she thought hopefully.  
  
Though it was a long shot, she knew she had to try. Her country needed her to try.  
  
So she continued to walk down the passageways, ignoring the occasional servants she came upon. The servants seemed to accept her as a noble. Only once did she pass someone who looked as though he had a rank. He nodded politely and she returned the gesture, hoping it wasn't too strange to see a woman dressed in breeches here. Sakura was careful to keep her wrist hidden, just in case.  
  
Just when her legs were about to need another magical boost, she came upon an open hallway. Breathing in the fresh air, she felt relieved. Pumping her legs, she threw herself through the last door and into a courtyard.  
  
Bright sunshine hit her in full force. The smell of nature sent a content sigh through her. For a moment she felt as though she was a flower; the sun seemed to be feeding her.  
  
Pushing the luxurious thoughts from her mind, she took a step forward, waiting to see how her body would react. When no pain hit her, she felt her hope soar. She took a second step. A third. Soon she was halfway through the courtyard.  
  
Her joy came crashing down, however, when she heard a shout. Turning, she saw a soldier running towards her. She cursed before she began to run.  
  
****  
  
Syaoran bowed his head, working the kinks out of his shoulders. He shifted uncomfortable in the wooden chair. Shutting his eyes, he let out a short sigh.  
  
He had been at his mother's bed all night. Though he could feel her health was strong, it made him nervous. He could feel magic in his mother's system and knew this sudden illness was not innocent. Someone was behind it.  
  
The problem was it wasn't Einar's magic, as he had expected it to be. Which meant Einar either had someone employed to do it for him. . . or he was working for someone.  
  
He let out another sigh. He hadn't wanted to be bothered with this war. All he'd wanted was to be left alone. So he hadn't put a stop to the mind control.  
  
"'Let Einar get what he wants,'" he said bitterly, remembering his words from before. "'Why should I care if a country is destroyed?' What an idiot I was. It's my fault my mother is in pain."  
  
With a growl, he stifled the urge to kick himself. Hurting himself would do no good.  
  
A sound to his left caught his attention. Happy for the excuse to stand, he approached the window.  
  
His eyes narrowed on the three guards who were chasing a single man. Narrowing them further, he realized who it was. With a curse, he realized she was headed towards the gates.  
  
'She'll kill herself trying to get out.'  
  
The door opened behind him and he whirled, happy to find the healer had returned from her break. With a quick greeting, he disappeared, praying she wouldn't kill herself before he could stop her.  
  
****  
  
Sakura's breath was coming hard; her legs were wobbly under her weight. Still, she ran on. The gates were steadily becoming closer. She had long since spotted the door near the base, long since seen the guard half-dozing in front of it. She knew she could pass though.  
  
All she had to do was get there.  
  
She felt magic gathering in front of her and gasped. Still she ran on; she couldn't afford to stop now. Not if she wanted to be free.  
  
A body appeared a few yards in front of her. She recognized him instantly, but she wouldn't give up. She couldn't fight him; the bracelet would see to that. So she had to get over him.  
  
She threw herself headfirst into a flip. When her hands hit the ground, she quickly pushed magic through her palms, using the burst to push her. She sailed over his head, landing lightly. Without wasting another moment, she began pumping her legs again.  
  
She heard his curses and couldn't resist congratulating herself. Now he was stuck chasing her as the soldiers had.  
  
The guard in front of the door seemed to have finally woken up. He stared at her, eyes wide, as she neared.  
  
She could hear Syaoran's footsteps. He was closing in on her. She couldn't waste time.  
  
Shooting magic at a nearby barrel, she made it crash on top of him. She was happy to find the bracelet did not punish her for such an act. With a last burst of speed, she reached the door.  
  
She wrenched it open, pausing to slam it shut behind her. She realized she was now in a storeroom of some kind. Spotting a door on the other side of the room, she crossed it quickly and flung this door open. Her eyes took in a large city.  
  
Smiling, she realized with one step she would be free of this awful palace.  
  
So she took the step.  
  
And instantly fell backwards in pain.  
  
The pain she had felt when trying to attack Syaoran had increased in the tenfold; she half-wished her body would just fall away, as it seemed to be the source of the pain. She screamed without realizing, cried without feeling the wet. Her hands tore at her clothes, fighting to rid herself of the awful feeling. She hardly felt arms wrap around her as she fought to keep herself conscious.  
  
Slowly she realized the pain was dulling; soon all she could feel was the leftover pain. Combined with what she had felt yesterday, it took a great effort not to let sleep overcome her.  
  
After what felt like an eternity, she dared to open her eyes. Immediately worried amber eyes came into her vision. She finally realized his arms were around her, holding her close to him. Though her hate for him burned in her, she was glad for the support. She absently noted they were alone.  
  
She focused on his eyes, thankful to have something other than the pain to focus on. Feeling as though she was looking for a secret, she tried to see what he was thinking. Though the worry was strong, she also detected another intense emotion. It took a moment to recognize it, but recognize it she did. It was scorn. He thought her stupid.  
  
She wrenched himself from his gaze, freeing herself quickly from his arms. She almost collapsed when suddenly forced to support her own weight. Still, she managed to right herself. She drew back from him, her eyes burning with rage.  
  
'This fool thinks I'm stupid?!'  
  
Her gaze lingered on the city.  
  
'Freedom,' she thought. 'I must get out. I must help my country. I can't leave them.'  
  
Her thoughts were now desperate. Despite all the pain she had gone through before, she took a step toward the door.  
  
An arm caught her, pulling her back. She tried angrily to shake it off, but she was too weak. Instead, she turned to face him.  
  
"What are you doing? Are you insane?" he demanded. "You almost kill yourself testing the bracelet and now you're going to try it again?"  
  
She clenched her teeth together, plotting his death many times in her head. At the same time, she managed to spit, "That's my country that yours is at war with! I'm their Champion! I can't just sit here! I have to go!"  
  
She managed to break free from his grasp, and immediately ran to the door. She barely had a foot over the threshold when the pain started. Biting her lip until she drew blood, she forced herself to take another step. The next shot drove her to her knees. Whimpering, she tried to crawl forward.  
  
Through all this, she missed Syaoran's reaction. Behind her, he was standing, his mouth open wide and gaping, as he watched the girl fighting the pain. He was amazed.  
  
'She's a woman. And weak,' he told himself. 'How can she have such willpower?'  
  
And yet, as he watched her, she never stopped. He heard her painful cries and saw the tears streaming down her face. Still she pressed on. He was in awe; she had taken five steps. That was more than enough to make a seasoned soldier cry for mercy.  
  
'If she will go this far for her country, I should too,' he thought suddenly. 'I've been hiding in my room, trying to avoid this war, and yet here this girl is. . . and she's nearly killing herself just to get out.'  
  
When he saw her drop to her elbows, he jumped forward. Grabbing her, he pulled her into his arms, amazed at how light she was. He cradled her close in his arms, soothing her in her pain. She was crying freely now, though he knew she would be ashamed she had done so later.  
  
He carried her back to his room, ignoring the looks people gave them. All he could concentrate on was her.  
  
He could feel her slipping into unconsciousness; he was surprised she had lasted this long.  
  
He sat her down lightly on the bed, watching as she slept. He couldn't help but feel a great load of pride in her.  
  
'Maybe she isn't so pathetic after all,' he thought.  
  
****  
  
Sakura slipped in and out of consciousness throughout the night. She remembered waking only once. When her eyes had met the darkness, she had cried out, thinking herself alone.  
  
She was surprised to hear soft footsteps. She looked up into amber eyes. They held her gaze, engulfing her eyes in kindness.  
  
"You are willing to kill yourself for your country?" he asked, his tone serious.  
  
Without thinking, she answered, her voice hoarse. "Yes."  
  
He nodded, his eyes never leaving her. "Then we will fight this together."  
  
She barely remembered nodding before the darkness engulfed her again.  
  
****  
  
Author's Note2: So. How was it? Typos- sorry. ^_^ Uh. . . hope you enjoyed it. This one was rather fun to write, though I'm not sure how great it is. . . anyway! Enjoy! 


	10. Not So Alone

Disclaimer: CCS doesn't belong to me.  
  
Author's note(s): Sorry guys-I've had loads of hw n no time to update lately. I'm not sure when the next update will be either-football season's starting up and I'll be gone for at least two weekends in a row. Sorry!!  
  
****  
  
Her body bore awful marks. As she examined them closely, she realized they resembled something much like burns.  
  
'Raw power,' she decided. 'The raw power pours through the bracelet and into me. . . and I can't contain it.'  
  
Her thoughts were halted when she heard a door click closed. Wearily, she turned her head to face the intruder.  
  
His eyes swept over her body, taking in the same marks she'd been examining. While he was eyeing her, she found herself eyeing him curiously. He was dressed in his usual green outfit-loose, comfortable and perfect for training. His chestnut hair shadowed his eyes in its usual rough manner. In his hands he carried a steaming bowl of porridge. Her stomach responded to it, letting out a huge growl. She realized she hadn't eaten since she'd arrived here.  
  
His face curled up into a slight smile when he heard the sound and she felt a blush take her features.  
  
"I'm a little hungry," she said unnecessarily.  
  
He held up the bowl, showing it to her. "I have breakfast right here. Straight from the kitchen."  
  
When she made to stand up, he quickly crossed the room, pushing her back down onto the bed, his eyes showing worry.  
  
"You shouldn't try to stand just yet, Sakura," he said quickly, meeting her glare steadily. His own deathly glare made him immune to all others.  
  
When she spoke, her words were harsh. "And what am I supposed to do? Just lie here and let you feed me?"  
  
Blushing slightly, he drew a spoon from his pocket. "Would it be so awful?"  
  
She gaped at him for a minute before shutting her mouth abruptly. "You're kidding."  
  
He eyed her seriously for a minute. Coming to a decision, he turned and placed the bowl on the table and pulled a chair out. Motioning towards it, he asked, "Is that okay?"  
  
She nodded briskly and started to push herself from the bed. Again, he crossed over to her, this time picking her up from the bed. She stiffened, surprised to find herself in his arms. He carried her, as though she weighed nothing, to the chair before gently dropping her into it.  
  
She opened her mouth to fuss before closing it again. She let out a short nod and dove into the bowl of porridge.  
  
Over her spoon, she watched Syaoran closely, her thoughts calculating.  
  
'Can I trust him?' she asked herself for the millionth time that day. 'He may have saved me yesterday, but I can't forget-he's the prince of the Li Kingdom. Why would he help me, the champion of Alexandria?'  
  
Her doubt was quickly cancelled out when she caught his eyes. He smiled slightly, obviously more comfortable with smirking than smiling. She couldn't help but reciprocate the smile, laughing lightly at his unease.  
  
'He's trying, that's for sure,' she noted. She couldn't help but realize how charming he was.  
  
She continued to eat her porridge, still watching him, when a lone thought entered her head.  
  
'He still has your cards,' it said, the voice strangely unlike hers. It reminded her of someone else, but she couldn't quite place it. It spoke the truth-that was all she cared about at the moment.  
  
She glared at Syaoran, causing the prince to jump in surprise. He'd grown slightly used to the kindness; he'd relaxed. A bit unruffled, he managed to voice his question. "What's wrong? Is the porridge bad?"  
  
She snorted, a harsh sound to him. "It's not the food; it's the company."  
  
Syaoran felt his jaw drop open. He managed to close it before it caught flies. "What?"  
  
Her glared increased tenfold. "Did you honestly think I'd forget about my cards, prince pompous?"  
  
It was the first time she had voiced the harsh nickname, but somehow she was angry enough to let it slip.  
  
'Why should he be surprised?,' she asked herself. 'He deserved it. First he says he wants to help me, while at the same time he's holding my Cards hostage. Not to mention this piece of metal is still on my arm,' she added, sparing a glance toward her arm. It was the most burned of all.  
  
His jaw had slipped open a second time when Sakura glanced his way. "Your Cards?" he asked faintly. "But. . . I haven't taken your cards. Your weapons, yes." When she raised an eyebrow, he quickly added, "But I'll gladly give them back."  
  
As though to make good his words, he jumped up from the table and immediately rushed into his room. She felt a bolt of magic and heard a creaking door. Within seconds, he had returned, his arms full of her weapons. He deposited them onto the table, motioning towards the pile. Sakura quickly scanned over them, recognizing all of her war weapons-except her cards.  
  
Crossing her arms over her chest, she nodded towards the pile. "My cards are not there."  
  
Syaoran nodded his agreement, pointing towards the spot on her belt. "The first night you were here, I took them out to look at them. . . but then Einar came in. . . and I dropped them back on the bed." He shook his head. "I never touched them again."  
  
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "And who is this Einar person?"  
  
Something clicked in Syaoran's brain and he let out a growl. Slamming his fist down onto the table, he nearly turned over the bowl of porridge in front of Sakura. She righted it quickly, her eyes never leaving Syaoran's frame. Eyeing him carefully, she searched for any signs of a lie. Finding none, she listened to what he had to say.  
  
"Einar is the high advisor of the Li Kingdom." When Sakura's face turned skeptical, he continued quickly. "He has something against your beloved king. He's just using our country to get revenge. My mother is under his spell."  
  
She took a sigh, still somewhat doubting his words. "And you just let him get away with this?"  
  
He deflated instantly, catching the chair to hold him up. He refused to look at her as he answered. "Yes. I had the chance to stop him. . . and I didn't. I was a fool."  
  
Sakura's eyes never left him-he had just admitted the war that had killed so many of her Elite was his fault. And yet. . . something about the way his very body shouted shame made it hard to condemn him. Instead, she passed over his words as if they were nothing.  
  
"And this man, Einar, he has my cards?" she asked, her voice softer.  
  
Syaoran's head bolted upwards, his eyes instantly searching hers with an intense emotion. Not able to hold the gaze, she dropped it, watching the door instead. She didn't even want to attempt to read what had been in his eyes.  
  
His voice was soft, completely different from his gaze, when he finally answered her. "I'd guess he has something to do with it."  
  
She picked up her spoon and took another bite of the now-cold porridge. "I tried calling them, the day before. I could feel them-but just barely. If they are in the castle, I should be able to feel them better." She glanced up briefly. He was still eyeing her. Returning her gaze to the porridge, she added, "He must be using something to contain them."  
  
Syaoran grunted before falling silent. Sakura took the silence in hand, finishing the rest of the porridge and letting her thoughts roam. When the prince spoke again, his voice was softer than she'd ever heard it.  
  
"I can't take the bracelet off, Sakura."  
  
Sakura felt herself nodding. Some part of her had known that already.  
  
He hurried on, trying to explain. "The entire castle knows about it by now. If I take it off, they will all notice. And I can't just release you-they would know it was me who did it. I need my reputation to be as strong as it can be if I have any chance in ending this war."  
  
She nodded again. Once again, he was saying what she had already known. Wishing for a subject change, she spoke up, asking the question she'd been dying to ask.  
  
"How many did your army kill?"  
  
She looked up, watching as Syaoran's face twisted into puzzlement.  
  
"At the battle-when you kidnapped me-how many did they kill before my men retreated?" she said, clearing up the details.  
  
Syaoran's features relaxed slightly, but they were still a little puzzled. "You have had no news?"  
  
Impatient, she snorted. "Would I ask if I knew?"  
  
He smiled, slightly sheepish. "Your men finished their wall."  
  
Sakura's mouth dropped open. "So then-"  
  
"-our army has to take the long way."  
  
She shook her head as though the thoughts were too heavy to be contained. "But-the wall-it could be destroyed," she said faintly.  
  
He let out a short laugh. "Your guardians are much stronger than you'd believe, Sakura. None of the army could get near your precious wall."  
  
She smiled faintly. "Then we have time."  
  
He nodded in return. "We must hurry."  
  
****  
  
Einar was just returning from the servant's wing when he saw Syaoran walking by, carrying an empty bowl. The advisor crept back into the shadows, realizing the bowl must've come from the girl. Clucking his tongue, he frowned. She had one untainted meal in her body now-it would make her stronger.  
  
Lisha would not be happy.  
  
'Still,' he reasoned, 'she will be getting no more meals as such. Venga will take care of that.'  
  
He continued down the hall until he was inside his room. Picking up the black bag, he set off to do his second errand of the day.  
  
'Soon the girl will be gone and the king will be ours.'  
  
Then, with the tiniest puff of smoke, he was gone.  
  
****  
  
Sakura heard a knock on the door. Puzzled, she called out, beckoning whoever it was to enter. A man's face peered in through the doorway. Upon seeing her, he quickly stepped in, shutting the door behind him.  
  
He crossed the room in quick movements, arriving near her bedside before dropping into a bow.  
  
At a loss, it took Sakura a second before she remembered custom. "No need to bow," she said hastily. People bowing had always made her nervous.  
  
He rose, his eyes watching her closely. When he spoke, his voice was just as quick as his movements. She studied his face, her eyes tracing the lines of his strong, but nervous, jaw. He was very tan-obviously saw plenty of sun. His clothes identified him as a manservant; his blond hair was too clean for him to be a house servant. His deep gray eyes, however, were what caught her gaze. Right now they were a steely gray, telling her he was nervous. She suspected the color would change with his mood.  
  
"My lady, your captivity is a great surprise to us," he said, breaking her thoughts.  
  
Her eyes narrowed. No one in this household should address her as a lady.  
  
"Your name?" she asked sharply.  
  
He seemed somehow pleased with her question. "Toby, my lady. And you are right to be suspicious-you should be suspicious of anyone in this castle."  
  
Sakura said nothing; she was too taken aback.  
  
Casting a worried glance at the door behind him, he spoke up again. "I have little time, my lady, but I wanted you to know you are not alone. There are people stationed in this household who are loyal not to the Li kingdom." Something in Sakura's brain clicked-this man was a spy. Heedless of her thoughts, he rushed on. "We must hurry if we are to get you out of here, and yet we cannot act too rapidly or we will draw too much attention to ourselves."  
  
He seemed to catch himself rambling. Shaking himself quickly, he started again. "I will see you soon-I will have a plan then. For now," he paused, pulling something from his pocket. He stretched his hand out to her, placing a necklace into her hand. She caught it, examining it briefly. It was a turtle pendant strung on a plain piece of cloth. He pointed at it. "That is our sign. Anyone wearing this is loyal."  
  
He turned and started towards the door, speaking over his shoulder as he went. "I will be back soon," he repeated. "Though you cannot be in Alexandria, your orders can. I will bring you news as well. For now, though, I must be gone."  
  
Without so much as a backward glance, the man was gone, leaving behind him a very confused champion.  
  
****  
  
Author's Note: I know, I know. Short. But I'm actually sitting here, staring out the window, and waiting for my friend to drive up the driveway. In fact-there she is, lol. I must go. As for the Partners update-I'm sorry! I started it, but it's on another computer. I'll try to get that updated soon. Sorry guys! Love! N sorry about the typos. 


	11. Discovery and Freedom

Disclaimer: CCS isn't mine, though Yue is.  
  
Author's note(s): Finally, I have a chance to update. I'm sorry for the incredibly long wait. -flinches at the four month period- I promise. . . I wanted to update. -sighs- Anyway. Enjoy.  
  
****  
  
Sakura sighed impatiently and shifted in her bed. After but a moment, she gave a loud growl and turned on her other side, knocking a pillow off in her frustrated motions.  
  
Three bedridden days had passed, and she was growing restless. Nearly screaming from boredom, she shot upright in her bed, looking for something to throw. She wished, fervently, that Toby would show.  
  
After so much time to plan her army's best moves, she was anxious to have them delivered. She began fingering her necklace, halfheartedly wondering if she could summon Toby by sheer will.  
  
Sakura was so desperate she stopped to assess this idea before shoving it away angrily and sinking back down.  
  
The sudden opening of the door sent her straight upright in bed, half wondering whether her prayers had been answered. The person she saw instead was a servant, though not the same one she'd had before. This girl carried a bowl of broth. Sakura couldn't help but wonder at the sudden change in carriers. Usually the prince brought her meals, and her servant girl merely tidied her room.  
  
The girl bowed, introducing herself in a surprisingly strong voice. "My name is Venga," she said simply, and carried the bowl closer to Sakura, pulling the stand closer, so that she might use it as a table.  
  
Sakura eyed the girl's neck, checking for the telltale turtle necklace Toby had mentioned. She was saddened to find no such trinket.  
  
The smell of the broth soon lifted her spirits. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. As she swung her body, she asked her question.  
  
"Is the other girl on break?"  
  
Venga tensed slightly at the question, a movement Sakura noted. Her gaze swung up to the girl's face, her eyes narrowing. "Answer me," she demanded. "Where is the other girl?"  
  
When she received no answer, she reached out tentatively with her mind. Though Yue was a master at it, she was only a beginner. She could only detect thoughts from those without magic.  
  
Her mind's eye caught an image of her old servant crumpled in a corner. She was searching deeper when a sudden bolt of blue magic pushed her from Venga's mind. She reeled backwards, instantly using some of her magic to cool the burning pain in her head.  
  
The sound of fleeting footsteps brought her back quickly and she flung some of her own magic at the retreating servant, freezing her to her current position.  
  
Sakura fought to free herself from the tangled covers, trying desperately to remove herself from the bed.  
  
Her legs were swinging over the side when the door opened and Syaoran entered, carrying his own bowl of broth. He was speaking. "-sorry Sakura, I got tied up in meetings. I hope you aren't too hung--"  
  
He froze when he noticed the servant. His gaze immediately turned questioning. Ignoring him, Sakura used her magic to force Venga to walk back towards her. She saw the strain in the other girl's eyes as she fought to resist the magic. Adding more power to her spell, Sakura waited until the girl was close enough.  
  
She motioned toward the bowl. "Why did you bring me this?"  
  
When she received nothing more than a defiant look, she sent herself back into the girl's thoughts, quickly finding an image of Venga tipping a vial into the bowl. A stronger bolt of blue magic sent her from the girl's mind again. This time, Sakura felt her body thrown backwards. She was suddenly very thankful for the soft mattress beneath her.  
  
Cursing the girl profusely, and shaking off the worried arms of Syaoran, she glared at Venga. "Stop it!" she yelled. "You have no magic; who is helping you?!"  
  
Again receiving nothing but a glare, she flung her hand out, upsetting the bowl. It smashed to the floor, and Sakura watched as the contents bubbled. She half expected the floor to rot away.  
  
Her eyes locked onto the servant's, and Sakura felt a sudden jolt. She tried to look away, but found herself unable to break the gaze. Slowly a face began to appear in the center of her vision and everything else died away.  
  
The face grew clearer until Sakura was finally able to recognize the sapphire eyes she had beheld at the pass. Her own emerald orbs fought to discern the face hidden in the shadows, but every time she strained forward, she seemed to move farther and farther backwards.  
  
Words reached her ears, and she remembered the taunting voice of the woman.  
  
"You are smart, lady, smarter than I had assumed. But though you may not fall to my poison, you will fall nonetheless," she said, her eyes intense upon Sakura.  
  
She frowned, searching still. A question burst unbidden from her lips. "Why would I fall to you?"  
  
Malice was in the eyes. "Because you have chosen the wrong side."  
  
Sakura felt a blast of power that made her dizzy. Her head was spinning, but still she fought to see the face. The face was her lifeline-if only she could see it, she would know what she was fighting. Without it, she could do nothing.  
  
She pumped magic into her veins, feeling its warmth. Its power gave her strength; she felt hope. Parting with a portion, she sent it straight toward the eyes. The sapphire orbs widened in shock in the moment before Sakura's magic hit.  
  
Pain broke into the eyes just before another bolt of blue magic came hurtling toward the champion. Her own magic absorbed most of it, and she felt no more than a brief shock. Sakura pumped more of her magic into her veins, silently thanking the gods who had bestowed so much power into her.  
  
She realized with a shock the face was slowly disappearing.  
  
"I must leave now, lady champion. We shall meet soon."  
  
Letting out a final cry, Sakura sent a great spiral of magic forward. The eyes writhed in pain before disappearing totally.  
  
Suddenly, Sakura was aware of her surroundings again. The gentle pull of the magic in her veins gave her the strength to stay upright in her bed. Syaoran's supporting arms also served their purpose. Sakura looked up into his deep amber eyes, a welcome change from the sapphire ones.  
  
As though afraid of her reaction to his closeness, he gently removed his arms from her. Sakura felt a slight sadness before she turned back to the maid, now careful to avoid her eyes.  
  
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice sounding tired to her own ears.  
  
Venga kept her own gaze firmly on the floor. Just when she was beginning to believe the girl a mute, the answer came.  
  
"To please my mistress," she said. The rasp in her voice surprised Sakura.  
  
"And what would please your mistress?" she asked, though the answer was clear enough already.  
  
"Your death."  
  
Beginning to feel faint, she let Syaoran take over the questioning. He asked many of the same questions she found herself wondering. Sakura felt her body beginning to waver towards sleep.  
  
'She won't tell him anything,' she thought, feeling a strong exhaustion take her. 'Why does he insist on questioning her? She will not answer. He should just give up. . . give in. . . it would be. . . much. . . more. . . practical. . .'  
  
Her thoughts blurred into nothing; for the second time in a week, she felt herself shut down. Voices fluttered around, buzzing in her ear. The words were never understandable; she ignored them.  
  
Instead, she delighted in the melting away of her responsibilities. Her pain was gone; so was her fear. All that was left was a feeling of complete bliss. With a dreamy sigh, she reveled in it.  
  
****  
  
Syaoran felt the anger growing in him. This woman, with her servant's attire and steely gaze, was surely sent from the gods to test his resolve. She was his punishment for letting this war go on.  
  
Growling, he repeated one of his earlier questions. "Who do you work for, girl?"  
  
When he received nothing as an answer, he let out a frustrated sigh. He longed for a bowl such as the one Sakura had smashed before, but none was to be found. He forced himself to be calm.  
  
A laugh broke through his concentration. Frowning, he focused on Venga. Her head slowly turned towards him, her eyes filled with a mixture of both mirth and malice.  
  
"You try to protect the girl, prince, and yet you have done nothing."  
  
Baffled, he moved toward her, slowly so as not to scare her. She continued speaking.  
  
"Has it not dawned upon you that your loud mouthed champion has said not a word for ten minutes?"  
  
His eyes widening as though he'd been hit, he whirled. He rushed over to Sakura, reaching out to shake her from the spellbound sleep she appeared to be caught in. His hands shook her shoulder roughly, increasing in strength when he got no response. Her head rolled backwards, and he suddenly caught sight of her eyes.  
  
His stopped shaking her abruptly, his eyes widening in shock at the look in those orbs. Only in corpses did this look exist.  
  
'But. . . she's still alive. . .' he thought, quickly reaching to take her pulse. Behind her, Venga's voice spoke, full of excitement.  
  
"Oh yes, she is alive now, but not for long. That trance she's in? She won't wake. At least not because of your shaking," she said, obviously quite content at his position.  
  
Unable to decide his next move, he stared at Venga, waiting for her next words.  
  
Smirking at him, she continued. "At least not till you remove the magic."  
  
At her last word, blue flames began to sprout up around her. She dropped her smirk and stared downwards, gaping at the flames. As one touched her foot, she flinched. Her eyes now showed open terror. The flames began to increase in strength, climbing up her legs now. With a speed Syaoran could hardly comprehend, they quickly consumed the rest of her body. She struggled to flee, but Sakura's spell held her in place.  
  
He attempted to fling his own magic at the blue, but it came too late. The woman was crumpling now. Within seconds, her body was disappearing piece by piece. The last to leave were her eyes, the terror frozen in them for all eternity.  
  
****  
  
Sakura felt the heat of magic in her dulled state. The slight rocking stopped, and the heat increased. Her body recognized the blue flames. Her mind reeling, she tried to make her body move backwards, but found herself unable to.  
  
The voices grew louder, trying to lull her back to her sleep. Still, she strained toward the flames, anxious to see what was happening.  
  
Her sight suddenly left her. Her blurred vision of the room was replaced with black. Just as suddenly as the darkness appeared, the flames sprung up around her. She looked around, feeling the warmth of the flames without the pain.  
  
The voices were rising in volume. Sakura listened closely, attempting to discern the identity. Still, they got louder. She winced, suddenly hearing the malice hidden behind each soft, commanding voice. The flames suddenly got very hot, scorching her mind. She tried to close her ears, for the sound was the worst, but could not.  
  
Just when she thought her ears would burst, it all stopped. She heard a voice, a normal voice.  
  
"Lisha, where are you my love?"  
  
Surprise made the flames lose their heat. Taking her chance, Sakura closed her eyes, wishing her return to the room.  
  
Suddenly she was falling. A light gasp escaped her lips as she heard the voices leaving her. The room was returning; it was less blurred now.  
  
Her full perception returned. Sakura felt her muscles, tired of holding her body in the same position. They collapsed, and Sakura's head spun, her mind trying to catch up with the rest of her.  
  
Straining her eyes, she caught the prince's form, staring, transfixed, at a spot on the floor. Wetting her lips, she called out to him. "Syaoran?"  
  
He turned suddenly, eyes widening when he saw her responsive.  
  
"What happened?" she asked faintly.  
  
He shook his head, eyeing her as though she were a ghost.  
  
She frowned, her weakness leaving and anger replacing it. "Stop staring, prince. I'm no ghost."  
  
He eyed her for a moment more before his face finally broke into a grin. "It is you, indeed."  
  
****  
  
Einar stepped back, afraid of the anger in Lisha's eyes.  
  
"Wh-hat?" he stammered, still stepping backwards.  
  
A ball of flame appeared in her palm, and she flung it angrily at Einar.  
  
"Fool! You interrupted me right when I was about to kill the wench!"  
  
Einar shrank from the angry woman, shocked at her words. She continued her angry speech, speaking to the heavens.  
  
"Why do I surround myself with idiots? I do nearly everything, trust them with so few responsibilities, and still they cannot manage to perform them!"  
  
Lisha returned her gaze to Einar, eyes brimming with fury. "You were the one who brought me Venga, Einar," she said, her voice dangerously quiet.  
  
It was all he could do to shake his head in agreement.  
  
The fury increased, and with great effort, Lisha forced herself to turn from him. She fought to stifle her anger.  
  
"She was a failure, Einar. Discovered as she delivered the poison," she said simply.  
  
Einar flinched then hurried forward to reassure the sapphire-eyed woman, putting an arm around her. "I will send another woman," he said quickly. "Tomorrow she will have the poison in her veins, my love. Only one more da-- "  
  
The woman shook his arm off. "The prince won't let anyone else near her, fool. This was our one chance."  
  
Einar paused before speaking. "Did you not say you had almost killed her? Why can't you do it again?"  
  
Lisha's eyes cooled. "I will do it, Einar. She still has the magic on her clothing, though that idiot hinted at it. Soon enough, she will succumb again. And this time I will be ready for her."  
  
Einar smiled, still nervous.  
  
****  
  
Sakura's curses rang through the darkness. She was back to where she had started-bedridden. And all because of that damned sapphire-eyed woman.  
  
'Lisha,' she corrected herself. At least she knew her name.  
  
She spent a long time considering the woman before her thoughts turned to plotting her death. She had come up with sixty seven different ways, each more colorful than the last, before her thoughts began to become blurry.  
  
The name resounded in her mind as she felt her body falling back into the darkness. Sleep soon claimed her.  
  
'Yue's arrow hit my shoulder. I flinched, dropping my own bow in order  
to clutch my wound. I drew in a ragged breath, and fingered my wound  
lightly, flinching from my light touch. My fingers felt something  
sticky; something red. My eyes widened in shock. Blood. Yue's arrows  
had never drawn blood before.  
  
A flurry of wings caught my attention, and I looked up. An arrow was  
fixed on me. I looked down, realizing its aim was for my heart.  
  
I caught Yue's eyes. They were cold, unconcerned. It scared me.  
Holding my hands up, I called out in a shaky voice, "You got me, Yue.  
You win."  
  
There was no answer. His eyes remained cold; the arrow nocked. I  
opened my mouth to speak again, but it was Yue's voice that rung out.  
  
"This is not a game, lady. And it is not yet over. What would you do  
next?"  
  
Eyebrows knit in confusion, I opened my mouth to respond. Again, Yue  
interrupted me.  
  
"I don't want words, Sakura. Show me what you would do."  
  
I watched in horror as his finger moved. Throwing myself to the side,  
I felt a second arrow clip me. This one hit the left side of my chest,  
burying itself deep inside my flesh.  
  
I heard him reaching for another arrow, and looked up, frozen in  
place. His eyes remained cold and distant.  
  
Before he could release his third arrow, I threw myself to the side  
and began running. My wounds were now burning, but I ignored them. The  
arrow zipped just above my shoulder. Cursing, I realized my bow was  
lying in the dirt around his feet.  
  
Hating to use magic, I called to it. Thankfully, my quiver was still  
fastened securely to my back. Just as the bow fell into my hand, an  
arrow whisked to my left. Running straight for the cover of the trees,  
I pulled an arrow from my bow. It was painful to draw it; my shoulder  
was now on fire. Yet I knew I must draw it. Yue's eyes sought for me.  
  
Finding me finally, he opened his wings and set off towards me. He let  
his bow drop, knowing the trees would hinder the arrow.  
  
When he was close enough, I called to the trees. They were my friends.  
Their spirits recognized mine; loved mine. I greeted them warmly then  
requested their help. The wind also aided me.  
  
Using my magic, I parted the trees. Sweat gathered upon my brow; this  
task was not easy. Yue's eyes widened in shock; he was suddenly open  
to attack. I shot his wing, bringing him down. For the moment, he  
could not shoot. Instead, he must direction his attention toward  
landing. Moving quickly, I drew another arrow.  
  
Yue landed and spared a glance at his wing. His head swung up,  
detecting my approach. The arrow was aimed once again at my heart. His  
eyes widened in shock when he saw my own arrow. Its position mirrored  
his own, and though my shoulder burned, my fingers did not shake.  
  
"You would die, Sakura," he said.  
  
"I would not be alone," I responded.  
  
A proud glint took over his eyes. Suddenly my wounds felt much better;  
their worth was increased.  
  
A roar rang through the courtyard, and we both turned to accept Kero's  
worried lecture.'  
  
Light footsteps jerked her awake. She looked up, chastising herself for falling asleep so easily. Sakura found herself looking at Syaoran, who had obviously not meant to wake her. She frowned, tired of his mothering attitude already. She did not need him watching her like a nervous hen. To show him such, she quickly swung her body around and started to stand.  
  
Just as she knew he would, he jumped forward and began to push her back down. Growling angrily, she used her strong arms in an attempt to push him away. Forgetting what this might mean, she let out a gasp of pain as the bracelet punished her in kind.  
  
Catching another of Syaoran's worried looks, she quickly forgot the pain and glared at him.  
  
"I think I liked you better before. What happened to your 'holier than thou' attitude, prince?" she growled, quickly forgetting their temporary friendship in her grumpiness.  
  
Syaoran blinked before his expression grew more severe. "Well, at least now I know not to wake you anymore," he mumbled, and started towards his own room.  
  
Sakura let out a content sigh, realizing she was indeed rather grumpy. 'Serves him right,' she decided. 'He shouldn't have been sneaking up on me like that.'  
  
She was pushing her body from the bed when she heard loud bangs in the next room. Startled, she managed to stumble through the adjoining door and into her host's room. She cocked an eyebrow at him when she saw the mess surrounding him. About to comment on his clumsiness, she suddenly noticed the large sword in his hand. Drawing back at the sight, she instinctively reached for her own sword. It was still lying on the table, uselessly decorating the side of her bed.  
  
Syaoran's eyes caught the movement, and he smiled wryly. "You still do not trust me."  
  
Slightly abashed, but not willing to show such, she raised an eyebrow. "Should I? You have a sword."  
  
He let out a frustrated sigh and started towards her. She forced herself not to back away.  
  
"I am not going to hurt you, Sakura! I only meant to practice!" he said, his eyes intense. He turned away. "If you cannot trust me, how are we to work together?"  
  
Sakura winced, feeling slightly ashamed, but did not answer.  
  
Still she stood in the doorway. He kneeled, cleaning up the fallen shelf, seemingly unaware of her lingering presence. She moved forward, kneeling beside him. Wordlessly, she helped him pick up his belongings. After a moment of staring, he joined her. Soon enough, the room was clean and Sakura started back towards her own room.  
  
His voice stopped her. "Thank you."  
  
She waved a hand carelessly, closing the door behind her.  
  
****  
  
Sweat poured down his brow. He let it fall, concentrating on his quick thrusts. Parrying the imaginary attack, he let his sword swoop downwards, attempting to cut his opponent's legs. Lifting his sword again, he struck the final blow in his dance and halted. The air was still-- dead.  
  
Sighing, he reached for his towel. Something was bothering him. As he wiped himself, he pondered over the woman's words.  
  
'At least not till you remove the magic,' she had said. But what could that mean? Scowling, he dropped his towel and started back toward the center of his ring.  
  
He bowed to the air, imagining an opponent in his mind's eye. This time, instead of the usual brawny men, he pictured a beauty; brunette with captive emerald eyes and a figure full of curves and strength. He had fought with her already; they were even in their scores.  
  
He almost winced, remembering the ending to their last match. Still, he raised his sword, preparing for the first move of his dance. He pictured his opponent doing the same.  
  
With flawless grace, he swung his sword downward. It was parried; he pulled back, now defensive. He jumped backwards-the next step of his practice dance. The dance had become natural. His thoughts returned to Venga's words.  
  
'At least not till you remove the magic.' He lunged forward, the tip of his sword falling toward his opponent's ribs.  
  
'Remove the magic. . . her magic?' he pondered. He raised his sword, defending himself for this step.  
  
'Could her own magic be poisoned?' He feinted left.  
  
'How could someone poison her magic? She didn't eat the soup.' He sidled past his opponent's blade, setting his feet up for his next strike.  
  
'And how could I removed her own magic? It's part of her. . .' He feinted right again, biding his time.  
  
'. . . someone else's magic then?' He raised his sword upward, blocking the imaginary strike.  
  
'The blue magic that caught Venga,' he realized. The realization caused him to miss his next strike. Instead, he stepped backwards, skipping to the next step.  
  
'. . . but where is it?' He jumped forward, his sword moving downward to meet his opponent's hips. The blow would be crippling if it landed.  
  
'It must be removed, or her trance will last forever.' He parried the blow.  
  
'But she broke the trance.' He stepped forward, closer to his opponent.  
  
'The magic was not removed.' He moved his arm higher, steeling himself for the ending blow.  
  
'She will go into another trance, and this time she won't wake.' His arm carried the sword in a slashing motion, starting from the depths of the opponent's belly and moving its way up to decapitate the victim. His imagined opponent stood still, unmoving in his mind's eye. Her emerald orbs called to him, and he could not bring himself to finish the move.  
  
He sheathed his sword and turned away from the ring.  
  
'I must find the magic. Before she falls into a trance,' he decided.  
  
With one last look at the practice ring, he set off at a run.  
  
****  
  
She plunged her face into the bowl, enjoying the cool. The water quickly worked to remove the remains of soap from her face. She closed her eyes; she hadn't realized how much she missed swimming. She'd ask the prince to take her swimming one day; her spirit missed water.  
  
She heard a loud clash. Startled, she pulled her face from the bowl, reaching for the nearby towel to dry her face with. The prince's wide-eyed expression greeted her.  
  
She frowned at him and began to dry the small puddle his interruption had led her to cause.  
  
His voice was anxious. "There's something on you."  
  
She smirked. "I know. Dirt. That's why I was washing."  
  
"No, magic. Blue magic," he said hurriedly. Sakura looked up in alarm, and took in his eyes as they scanned anxiously over her form.  
  
"It must be on your clothes," he continued. "Take them off."  
  
He moved forward as though to help, then thought better of it. She glared at him. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Syaoran started toward his own room, and Sakura was forced to follow. He dropped to his knees in front of his dresser and began looking through it. "Venga. She said you would be in that trance until the magic was removed."  
  
Sakura felt her blood drain. She hadn't told him about it, despite his urging her to. "What are you talking about?" she repeated, her voice now intense.  
  
He looked up from his drawer. "She told me, Sakura. There's something on you. I think it's on your clothes."  
  
Finally finding what he wanted, he shoved a handful of his own clothes at her. "Here. Go change."  
  
Sakura stared at him for a moment, until he stood and turned her back toward her own room. With a push, he sent her inside and closed the door.  
  
She looked down at the handful for a moment before making up her mind.  
  
'Something made me go into that trance, and I want it gone,' she told herself firmly, and began dressing.  
  
****  
  
Syaoran looked up when he heard the door open. Sakura stumbled through the doorway, nearly tripping on the legs of his pants. He almost laughed when he saw her. Such a tiny figure clad in a grown man's clothing.  
  
She shot him a glare and tossed over her old clothes. He caught them, mirth still causing his eyes to twinkle. After another glare, she crossed the room, leaning over the clothes he now held in his hands.  
  
"I can feel magic on them," she said, "but it could just be mine."  
  
He nodded and began scanning. A laugh brought him from his work.  
  
"There's an easier way, Syaoran," she said, taunting him lightly. Her eyes now sparkled with their own mirth. She reached out a hand and lightly grabbed the clothing from him.  
  
Dropping it onto the ground, she moved back from it, and bid he do the same.  
  
Once they were both safely distanced from the pile, she called forth a large ball of magic. Syaoran eyed her, startled at the amount of magic she could call so easily.  
  
'So the reports are true,' he realized, 'she has more magic than I do.'  
  
Her fingers flicked the ball lightly, and it went crashing straight toward the clothes. Syaoran felt a sudden panic.  
  
"Sakura, don't destroy--"  
  
The clothes erupted immediately, leaving the wood beneath them scorched. Syaoran groaned. "Great, Sakura. Now we have nothing to examine."  
  
He noticed Sakura moving towards the destroyed floor-she kneeled, her brows knit in concentration. Suddenly, her face lit up in triumph. She beckoned to him.  
  
Syaoran moved forward, kneeling beside her. She pointed to something on the floor. As he strained his eyes, he saw a small piece of blue magic. Just when he was sure he had seen it, it vanished.  
  
Sakura smiled. "She knows we've found it."  
  
Syaoran sighed and stood. "Who is she, Sakura?"  
  
She stood, turning to him. Her eyes were now serious. "I think her name is Lisha. She's a sorceress-she was at the pass, and I saw her before. I think she commanded Venga."  
  
Syaoran frowned, taking the information in. "She doesn't want the war stopped," he said slowly.  
  
Sakura nodded, and the two were left in silence, each pondering upon their own deep thoughts.  
  
Sakura's laugh broke through. Syaoran glanced at her, his eyebrows raised in a question.  
  
When she spoke, her words were gently taunting. "At least you're not mothering me anymore."  
  
Syaoran started to scowl, which caused her laughter to increase. As he looked upon the laughing figure, he felt a grin begin to form upon his own lips. Soon, the room was filled with good-natured laughter.  
  
****  
  
Author's Note2: That was long, no? I now have a new record, lol. ;) Hope you enjoyed it. 


	12. Swimming

Disclaimer: Still waiting for CCS to come up on Ebay.  
  
Author's Note: Enjoy. Thanks very much for the reviews, surprised you didn't all think I was dead.

* * *

Sakura felt the liquid sweeping over her body, and a smile broke free. She dove deeper, her eyes closed and enjoying the feeling. She let it wash away all the pain and anxiety she had been feeling the past days. Her thoughts centered on the feeling and nothing more.  
  
She let the stream sweep her around, thinking nothing of directions. Only when her lungs felt like they were going to burst did she rise to the surface.  
  
A shout immediately broke her serenity. She looked over, annoyed, to find Syaoran hovering at the edge of the bank.  
  
"We cannot be out here for long, Sakura. If anyone spots you, it will ruin everything."  
  
Sakura rolled her eyes and dove back underwater, swimming to the bottom. Her hands touched the soft dirt, and she sifted lightly through it, her thoughts elsewhere. Again, she rose to the surface to take a breath of air.  
  
Her ears rang with his screams. "I don't know why I brought you out here, Sakura. You should be resting."  
  
Ignoring him, she returned to the watery world she so loved. This time, she picked up a smooth rock from the bottom. Her hand clutched around it, enjoying the smoothness of its surface. She dropped it and picked up another one, exploring like a young child. She let her spirit wonder amongst the river's, and it brought joy to her heart.  
  
Again, she rose to the surface to hear yelling. Now he was perched on a rock overlooking the water, glaring down at her. "Sakura! We must go!"  
  
Groaning, Sakura swam to the rock, grasping its edge. "Syaoran, if you are so worried about being discovered, maybe you should stop yelling," she said, her teeth gritted, but her voice quiet. His mouth snapped shut, properly chastised. She decided to take it one farther. "I have just gotten here. I don't plan on leaving just yet."  
  
He snorted and she eyed him carefully. "Why not come in and join me?" she said, deciding if he was in the water, he might let her be.  
  
He frowned. "Someone needs to keep lookout," he said solemnly.  
  
Sakura let part of her magic call to the forest. The trees swayed in the wind. This movement was enough to make Syaoran jerk.  
  
"They will be our lookouts," she said simply.  
  
Syaoran sighed. "Sakura, I'm not going to get in there with you."  
  
Sakura frowned. "And why not?" Playfully, she splashed some water at the prince.  
  
Syaoran glared. "I said I'm not coming in, and you should really get out."  
  
Groaning inwardly, she jumped forward, grasping his hands. With a mischievous smile, she pulled him forward, sending him off balance. His eyes widened and he tried to throw himself backwards. Sakura called to the wind, and a large gust sent him reeling forward. He landed with a large splash, and Sakura erupted into laughter.  
  
He rose to the surface, the glare already set on his face. He swam over to Sakura, and she knew he was going to yell. Rolling her eyes, she turned and dove beneath the surface, swimming in the opposite direction. She had no time to worry over his anger.  
  
She felt movement behind her and turned. Her eyes widened when she saw the prince swimming after her; they got even larger when she realized he was moving quickly. Feeling her heart soar at the challenge, she pushed forward.  
  
Her fingers trailed lightly through the dirt as she poured more of her magic into the stream. It answered, propelling her forward. She felt her joy kick up a notch at the freedom this movement provided. She felt her body change shape, and her movements became more fluid as the water passed over her halfway transformed figure. The water spirit was shaping her to better fit her need.  
  
Behind her, she felt Syaoran's magic. Startled, she turned to find his shape had changed slightly too. Now they were both more lithe and slid through the water smoothly. She was alarmed to find how fast he was swimming now.  
  
She turned set off at her fastest speed, her hands now removed from the sand and flattened on her side, her feet changing into a fin as she went. Soon enough, she felt the fin and thanked the spirit for the transformation. She had long since mastered the mermaid form, though she rarely used it.  
  
She pumped her fin, concentrating on the long, deep stream ahead. Her eyes narrowed and she realized it forked to the right. She strained her memory, trying to figure out where it led. She cast about, trying to visualize a map from what she had seen when they'd arrived.  
  
The silence of the river suddenly caught her attention, drawing it away from the map. She threw a nervous glance backward, and realized Syaoran was no where to be found. Immediately, she slowed her speed and drew close the bank.  
  
She moved slowly toward the fork in the river. She bit her lip when she got to the fork, unsure of where it led. She refused to turn back, not wanting to give Syaoran the satisfaction of knowing she was lost. Indecision still controlling her, she jumped when she heard a noise coming toward her. Straining her eyes, she realized it was a boat, traveling quickly up the river.  
  
Not having any more time to decide, she dove under and took the right fork, using her fin to propel her as fast as it could take her. She felt the river move with the boat's weight, and kept going, following the river's curve closely. She prayed it was taking the straight route and ignoring the fork.  
  
Her heart lurched when she heard it turn in the same direction she had taken. Cursing madly which in turned filled her lungs with water, she shot forward, pumping her fin madly behind her. She heard the ship catching up and dove deeper, scraping her skin roughly against the river floor. A small trail of blood followed behind her, and she prayed it was not visible on the surface.  
  
The shadow of the boat fell on her, and her eyes got huge. Desperately, she spurred herself forward, trying to avoid the bottom of the boat. Two hands grabbed her from nowhere and pulled her backwards. Instinctively, she fought to free herself, just barely remembering to flatten her body to avoid the boat. A hand was clamped across her mouth to keep her from making any sounds.  
  
Magic from her captive surrounded her, warming her, and she stopped fighting when she recognized it. Syaoran removed his hand, and she bashfully swam forward, willing her gills away so she could breathe the fresh air. She heard Syaoran do the same behind her.  
  
Slowly, she turned to him. He was looking at her funny. Her eyes locked on to his, and she was suddenly lost for words. A loud cracking in the nearby woods made her whirl, and as she eyed the sun, she realized they had stayed much longer than she had meant to stay.  
  
She turned to see Syaoran swimming back the way they had come. Sighing, she set off after him, having the feeling she was going to regret today.

* * *

Syaoran threw his wet pack roughly into his room, cursing the girl for her foolishness. He didn't know what had possessed his mind to take her, but it was nothing more than stupidity. Angrily, he changed out of his village clothes and into something more palace-acceptable.  
  
A knock on the door interrupted him, and he angrily crossed the room, throwing the door open to find a soldier standing there, flanked by Einar. Judging from Einar's nasty grin, he was about to tell him very bad news.  
  
"We have to talk, Syaoran," he said simply, and the advisor let himself into Syaoran's room, settling comfortably in his chair.  
  
"About what," Syaoran questioned angrily, more than ready to throw Einar out.  
  
"The girl, and a certain servant named Toby," he answered, his voice cool.

* * *

She fingered the bracelet nervously, running her fingers over the scorch marks that still remained even after a week of their appearance. Her heart thumped in her chest, and her eyes were set on the doorknob, waiting for it to turn. She heard footsteps coming down the hall, and threw herself back on the bed, faking sleep.  
  
The door creaked open, and Sakura turned a weary head, pretending to have just woken. She opened her mouth to ask Syaoran why dinner was so late today, but something in his eyes stopped her. His amber depths were glinting maliciously in the light, and she thought she noticed him shaking.  
  
He crossed the floor in seconds, grabbing the front of her tunic and pulling her to her feet. Her eyes were huge as he pulled her off the bed and flung her to her feet.  
  
"Did you intend to cause ruin to us all?" he yelled, loudly enough for Sakura to wince.  
  
She placed her hand on top of his, squeezing it in a mild attempt to break his grip. The bracelet reminded her she was not allowed to cause pain to others. Gritting her teeth, she spoke.  
  
"What are you talking about, Syaoran?"  
  
He threw her across the room, and before she could get over the shock, he was on top of her, his face right in front of hers.  
  
"I asked you for trust! I said we would do this together!"  
  
Sakura blinked, unnerved by his closeness, but forced herself to answer. "I asked you what you were talking about, Syaoran. Stop babbling and tell me."  
  
Syaoran fumbled in his pack and drew from it a necklace with a turtle pendant entwined. Then lunging forward, he grabbed her, pulling out a matching necklace from beneath her shirt.  
  
Suddenly, Sakura found herself unable to speak. Syaoran shoved her up against the wall again, and she cringed as her back hit a particularly rough spot on the wall. His grip was cutting into her side, and she bit back a scream of pain. She was all too aware of his anger.  
  
"Did you honestly think you could have an entire chain of messengers and we wouldn't figure it out, Sakura?! They have been watching you for ages! Einar has you marked for his plan—and marked deeply. He is very intent on finding something to use against you, and you, knowing this, plan your own little kitchen spy system?!"  
  
Sakura cringed again, wishing fervently he would let her down from the wall.  
  
"Now you have lost me the credibility that I put out there in saying you were harmless with this bracelet! If you thought the bondage of this little trinket was bad, just wait until they put you in the torture chamber! That's what they wanted to do, Sakura! They wanted to chain you in those machines and run you through it until you couldn't utter any words apart from your country's deepest secrets."  
  
Sakura looked down, refusing to meet his eyes. She had always wondered why this wasn't happening yet.  
  
Growling, Syaoran shoved her against the wall again, and she let out a gasp as she felt her rib shift uncomfortably.  
  
Glaring wildly, she spoke. "Get your filthy hands off of me, prince, before I snap every single finger off your damn hands."  
  
His eyes widened and narrowed with anger. He pulled her down from the wall and dangerously close to his face. She drew back from his angry gaze and was pulled back again. She had to settle on sending her own angry glare back.  
  
"Listen to me, Sakura—"he started.  
  
She interrupted loudly. "No, **you **listen, Syaoran. You have continued with this tirade simply because you knew I could do nothing to stop you, but I'm ruddy tired of it. Did **you** honestly think I wouldn't try to set something up? If you haven't noticed—those are my men on the line, the men I am in charge of protecting. Did you expect me to just sit here and trust some foreign prince I have only known as an enemy to keep my country safe?!"  
  
"YES!" he yelled back. "I did!"  
  
Sakura's mouth snapped shut, and she looked away. "Then I guess that's the difference between us, Syaoran," she said quietly. "I could never trust someone like that."  
  
He dropped her back onto the floor and turned away, starting toward the door. Sakura rubbed her side tenderly, then called out in a hesitant voice.  
  
"What happened to Toby, Syaoran?"  
  
He turned slowly, his eyes pained. "They killed him."  
  
Sakura watched him leave, then turned back to her bed and let the flurry of tears flow.

* * *

Author's Note: Yes, this is short. Will be longer next time—hopefully. 


End file.
